Replacement Father?
by Victorious-Mind
Summary: After an assassination attempt on Edward, Colonel Roy Mustang gets the job to be Ed's guard till the attacker is caught. As the days pass, Roy begins to understand Ed better. But the attacker is still out there. Will Roy manage to protect Ed? Parental!RoyEd. Non-Yaoi. Rated T for violence.
1. Attack

A/N: Hello again… This idea came when I thought about all the sick-Ed-and-Roy-taking-care-of-him fanfics. And well, I hope it was worth it. I wrote the rough draft of the whole story and now the final draft of the first chapter. I just hope you enjoy it. More parental will come on the later chapters. ;D

-Messed up timeline… I mean, there is Homunculi and Roy, Ed, Al know them. And they also know they are sacrifices. It's not really that important in the story but just to fill in gaps in the later chapters.

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 1: Attack

"Hello?" Ed answered the phone in front of the hotel lobby.

"Hello, Fullmetal, you need to bring me your report by tomorrow."

"Oh yeah… I'll bring it today. See ya."

Ed slammed the receiver down without waiting for a response. He sighed. He could already imagine the Colonel yelling at him on the other end.

The Colonel bastard was already going to give him a headache when he got there anyway. Edward didn't need him to rant over the phone.

He put the paper he'd written about his previous boring mission and inserted it into an envelope. Sealing the top, he wrote his name on the corner.

"Al?" Ed called to his brother who was reading a book. He replied without looking up.

"Yeah?"

"Colonel wants the report. After that, I was thinking we should go to Dublith. To teacher. I have a few questions I want to ask."

Al looked up. "Sounds good."

"Alright. Go to the station and buy the tickets. I'll meet you there after I give in the dumb report."

Al stood up, nodding his head. "Okay, brother."

Ed left his red coat in the inn, not bothering to wear it since it was pretty warm outside. He folded the envelope and put it in his pocket. He waved off the his brother as he began walking towards Eastern Center.

He suddenly got a weird feeling. His eyes widened as he looked behind him. He took a few steps backwards and checked the streets, the alley and the windows. Since he didn't see anything or anyone suspicious, he continued on his way.

But never had the thought to look at the roofs of houses…

There was only one soldier in front of the main entrance. And he was sitting on the floor, eating.

_Oh yeah… It's lunch time, I forgot._

"Major Elric." The soldier stood up saluting him. Ed saluted him back and walked inside. It was silent as always. But this time, the murmurs that usually surrounded the corridors where missing. Everybody was in the dining hall. Edward had had his breakfast late that day. And he didn't usually eat lunch. He didn't have time for an extra meal. He had things to do.

_Now I have to wait for him to get back._

He still had the annoying sensation in the pit of his stomach like someone was following him. Ed usually trusted his instincts, but the halls were empty. He pushed the thought on the back of his head, ignoring it completely. Ed walked into the Colonel's office, which was of course empty and flopped down on his favorite couch.

_Why can't I just leave it here and go?_

But he knew he couldn't do that. If he did, the next time he came, the Colonel bastard would have prepared a longer speech for him. There was nothing he could do but wait.

Ed felt a presence behind him and jumped away just before a vase connected with his head. He stood up, positioning himself to fight as he stared at his attacker.

It was most likely a man, judging by the muscles on his arm. Dirty blond hair showed behind the plain black mask that covered his entire face.

The attacker dropped the vase on the floor, which rolled until it hit the feet of the couch.

"So I _was_ right. Someone was following me. And I was wondering when you'd make an appearance."

"You're observant." came the rough voice.

The man took out a dagger from his back pocket and threw it at Ed. Instead of dodging, Edward lifted up his right arm. The dagger connected with the metal with a pang and fell on the floor.

"Automail. I can see why your name is Fullmetal."

"Who are you and what do you want?" Ed yelled.

"I just want to kill you. That is all."

"And why? What have I done to you?"

"I'm afraid that has to stay as a secret until you die." This time, the attacker threw three daggers.

Edward didn't have a lot of space but he might still be able to dodge the blades.

One of them flew over his head as he kneeled. The other hit his automail arm. And the last one slashed his shoulder, making a cut as little as a paper cut.

"I'll keep dodging and then attack. Is that your plan?"

Ed felt dizzy. He put a hand on the wall to make sure he didn't fall. His limbs…he felt heavy. And weak.

"What did you..?"

Then he spotted it. One of the daggers on the floor, something glinted off its blade.

"I've tipped all the daggers with a paralysis agent. Soon you will not be able to move anymore. But the best part is that your nerves are still intact which means you can feel pain. This is my first time using this on someone so I'm not sure if you'll be able to talk. It's a little amount, so it should work for ten minutes or so. Which is all the time I need to accomplish my mission. Shall we begin?

Ed's knees trembled under him as he fell on his side. He blinked, trying to stop the spinning as the man walked towards him. He put a shaky hand on the floor to use to hoist himself up. But then the strength left him completely. His arm flopped down uselessly

The unknown attacker kneeled next to him, dark eyes showing behind the mask. He pushed Ed onto his back with one hand as he grabbed one of the daggers from the floor. He wiped the substance on his shirt and turned to the blond boy.

"You bastard…" Ed mumbled.

The man put the knife under Ed's throat.

"Should I end it quickly?"

Then he pointed it at Edward's chest where his heart is.

"Or should I let the blood spill from your heart?"

He brought the dagger back up, placing it next to the right side of Ed's neck.

"I'm guessing you won't die right away if I cut here. Unless I do it deep enough to cut the carotid artery…"

The man swiftly pulled the dagger through the right side of Ed's neck as he clenched his teeth in pain. He felt the warm liquid spilling under his head while he couldn't do anything to prevent it.

"Judging by the blood, I don't think I cut a major artery. But you'll be a goner in fifteen minutes at the most."

The attacker stood up and stabbed the bloody dagger on the wall. He calmly walked towards the window and burst it open.

"Goodbye, Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."

And then he was gone.

"Hello?" Ed yelled, his voice sounding hoarse to his own ears already. He could towards the door. He couldn't move. "Anyone?" he tried again, trying to ignore the pain in his neck. He could feel the warm blood growing in a slow rate under him.

No one entered.

His eyes hovered around the clock above him.

Only five more minutes had left till the lunch break was over.

He felt sleepy. But he knew. If he closed his eyes then he might never wake up again. He stared back at the door, unable to do anything. He was hoping the effects would wear of soon. Hoping that the man he'd not really want to see would come.

_Please… Hurry… I can't hold up much longer…"_

* * *

"Yes, lieutenant. He told me he'd be here today. And then shut the phone to my face. That impolite little brat-"

Colonel Roy Mustang entered his office, only to freeze in shock.

On the right side of his room lay Edward, sprawled on the floor like a broken doll. He starred up at him as if he'd just woken up from his sleep. There was a bloody dagger on the wall above him, along with two others. And two other on the floor.

There was a dangerous amount of crimson blood on the ground, and it seemed to be spilling from Ed's neck.

How long had the kid been like this?

Edward's name played on his lips but no sound came out. Lieutenant Hawkeye stood behind him, also frozen.

"Colo…nel…" Ed said, his voice barely audible. Finally, Roy's senses kicked in.

"EDWARD!" Roy ran beside him, kicking the vase at his feet in process. "Lieutenant, prepare the car!" He heard quick footsteps fading in the distance.

"How long have you been lying here?" Roy asked, putting an armor under Ed's legs and another one under his neck as Ed gave a pained yelp.

"Five minutes…I think…" Ed whispered.

Roy basically dove inside the car, avoiding the looks of other soldiers. He noticed how Ed was despite the heaviness of the automail. Not that he looked at the front doors, he could see that the guards were nowhere to be found.

_Damn it! What's happening?! Who did this?!_

He slammed the door shut as Riza pressed on the pedal.

"I feel… very sleepy..." Edward mumbled, eyes closed half-way.

"No!" Roy yelled, trying not to sound too frantic and worried. "You are not sleeping Fullmetal! That is an order!"

The amount of blood Ed was losing had begun to scare him. He had gently pressed the sleeve of his coat in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding.

Ed clutched Roy's uniform. "Then don't let me." He closed his eyes. Roy filled with sudden panic once again as his heart beat against his chest.

"NO, NO, NO!" he began shaking him gently. "Wake up! Don't you dare!"

Edward opened his eyes, remembering something. Roy saw his hand slowly move to his pocket as he took out an envelope.

"The report…" he muttered, holding his hand out. "For you."

Roy stared at it, dumbfounded. "You idiot! You're bleeding to death yet you're still at that?! Screw the damn report!" he snatched the envelope from his hand, and put it in the back of the car. Leaving bloody fingerprints on it, it looked like some sort of dying message.

He shuddered.

"Al…"

"What?"

"He's waiting…at the station…Tickets…for Dublith…Can you tell him?"

Of course, that's what he'd be thinking about.

"Shh, save your breath. I'll tell him. Just don't fall asleep, alright?"

Ed gave a pained groan which probably meant okay.

"Do you know who did it?" Roy asked after a brief silence.

"No…" Ed whispered. His arm fell to the side and his eyes closed.

"Damn it!"

The blood had totally soaked the cloth by now. Sure, there were no cuts on his main artery but still…

Roy sprinted out of the car as soon as it stopped. He ran inside, laying Edward on a stretcher. "He's lost a lot of blood. Hurry up!" he yelled, unaware of Lieutenant Hawkeye silently standing behind him.

"He said his brother was at the station. Tell him, Lieutenant."

"Alright, sir."

Riza turned around and left a worried Roy Mustang in the observation room.

* * *

Soon later, Roy turned his head from the operation as he heard the clanking of metal. Alphonse ran inside, staring inside at his brother.

"Brother…Colonel, what happened? He…what? When did..?" Al said, frantic.

"Al, I'm sorry. When lieutenant and I came back, he was on the floor…bleeding. He stayed conscious the whole ride, but he…"

_Stop sounding like that, you idiot. You have to be strong. Don't be stupid._

"It's alright, Alphonse." He continued after a pause. "He'll be alright. He dealt with a bunch of other things. Like automail surgery He'll pull through plus he has you. And us…"

"Yeah…" Al answered without taking his eyes away from the operation.

_Why? Who would do this?_

Questions ran inside Roy's head. He glanced at the boy sitting next to him. Even though he didn't have a body and Roy couldn't see his face expression, he could feel the worry radiating from Alphonse.

Why was it that it was always them who had unfortunate things happening to them? Was it fair?

This wasn't like any other hospital visit. This injury hadn't been caused because Edward had fought with someone on a mission or stuck his nose into dangerous business while searching for the Stone. This time he hadn't been reckless.

Someone had actually tried to assassinate him.

And for what reason?

Roy sighed.

The old doctor removed his glasses as he walked out of the room. They could see Ed inside, breathing, but they just had to ask.

"His condition was critic when he first arrived, but now he's been stabilized. It's a good thing we had a pint of his blood type. It was our last one, I guess he was lucky. If you had brought him five minutes later, then he'd be dead. We can let him out in five days. The cut isn't that bad either. So…you want to see him or what?"

They all ran inside after these words, but of course Alphonse was the first to sit beside his brother's bed. Edward's face was in a scowl, as if having a bad dream. There was an I.V. going up his left arm and the covers were up to his waist, despite the heat in the room. There were tourniquets wrapped around his neck.

After a while, Ed stirred and opened his eyes, immediately bringing his automail arm to block out the light.

He looked at the person holding his hand and immediately propped himself up on one elbow.

"Alphonse! No one tried to kill you, right? Are you okay?" Ed asked frantically.

"No brother. You're the only one." Al said as he gently pushed Ed back on the pillow.

"Thank goodness." He sighed in relief as he turned to Roy and Hawkeye. "Thank you."

They just merely smiled.

Maes Hughes came bursting through the door.

"Hey Ed! I heard what happened!"

Roy stared at Hawkeye and she shook her head.

"How are you?"

"Fine really, just a headache."

"Doesn't seem fine when I look at Roy's uniform." He retorted cheerfully.

Roy looked down at his blue military uniform to find that it was almost completely blood-soaked.

_Well that's going to take some time to clean._

"How long till I get out this time?" Ed asked, touching the bandage on his neck, wincing.

"Five days." Alphonse answered.

Ed scowled but didn't protest.

"Put that aside, why don't you tell us what happened?" Hughes asked, taking out a notebook and a pen as he sat on Edward's bed.

Ed sighed.

"Colonel called me in the morning to tell me about my report. So I told him I'd be there."

"You shut the phone to my face." Roy cut him.

"Whatever. So then I told Al to buy tickets for Dublith. When I came, everyone was off to lunch so I just walked in our office and sat on the couch. There was only five minutes left of the lunch break so I didn't bother going in the dining hall. Then this guy in a black mask tried to hit me with a vase."

"Description?" Hughes asked again.

"He was a man, well-built and had dirty blond hair. He was also pretty tall. Anyways, when I dodged he started throwing daggers at me. I asked him who he was and why and he just said he wanted to kill me."

Roy raised his eyebrows.

"Aren't you trained in combat?"

Edward rolled his eyes.

"Yeah but then one of the daggers cut me on the arm." He said pointing at the little red cut.

"That looks like a paper cut." Hawkeye said.

Ed scowled again and looked away. "That's the thing. He said he tipped the daggers with…paralysis agent. He said it was some sort of serum that wouldn't knock you out but make you unable to move. And you still could feel, see and hear everything. And then I fell on the floor unable to move till he decided how he was going to kill me. Cowardly bastard…"

Al gasped along with Hawkeye.

Hughes stopped writing as Roy stared at Ed.

Paralysis agent. He had learned about it in the military academy. What a perfect way to torture somebody.

Roy felt something snap inside him. He imagined Ed, lying on the ground, helpless, unable to move as a crazy psychopath cut your neck. The word helpless didn't fit Edward. And it never would.

And you bleed to death while no one comes to your help.

Edward had only been admitted to the military two years ago. A kid of thirteen (1) shouldn't go through that much torture. But well, Edward never acted like a kid.

"You will be assigned some guards. It won't take long for that guy to figure out you aren't dead. And he'll eventually come back."

Ed groaned in anger. "Why does this have to happen again? Another week at the hospital with no personal space… There's Alphonse here with me."

"Still Ed, you never know what the attacker's up to." Hughes said placing the notebook in his pocket. "Thanks for the information."

"Uh huh."

"Well, Fullmetal. I'll get going now. There is a ton of paperwork waiting me at the office. And I command you stay here for five _whole_ days."

Ed gave him a glare that soon turned to a smirk.

"Good luck with the paperwork." he said. "And all the blood in your office."

* * *

(1) I know that Ed is supposed to be fourteen if he joined the military two years ago since he joined when he was twelve. But you'll learn why in the later chapters…

A/N: I never thought the first chapter would be so long! Anyways I'll update next week or maybe sooner… Hehe... Next chapter is where the actual parental starts! Well I mean… (look at the plot) XD.. This story will be so fun to write.

THANKS FOR READING AND REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED!


	2. Decision

A/N: Oh. My. God. I never thought I'd get so much reviews and feedback on one single first chapter! Yayy! ARIGATO! THANKS SO MUCH! LOVE YOU!

So I hope you like this one too. Bradley is slightly OOC…Or a lot. I don't know. The total parentalness will come on the next chapter. I mean…uh…since Ed will… Just read the chapter and I'll see you in the end! ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 2: Decision

It had been four long days since Ed had been brought to the hospital. He put his head on the pillow at a late hour, watching the moon's reflection on the windows.

_Only one more day. And then I could get out of here and continue pursuing the Stone._

"Al, if you're bored, you could go outside. I know it's hard for you when…you can't sleep…" Edward told Alphonse as he turned off the lights.

"But what if the attacker came?"

"It'll be fine. There are those guards outside anyway. At least you can read out there where there's light. That bastard didn't come for the last four days anyway."

Alphonse looked unsure for a moment. Then he took a book from the counter next to Ed's bed. And he headed towards the halls.

"Goodnight, brother."

Alphonse saluted the two guards as he made his way outside. The same questions he was thinking for the last four days came back in his had once again. Was the attacker from a mission Ed had? Could it be Yoki from the mines? No, he was too much of a coward. Al shook his head. He needed more time to think. Or he would ask his brother in the morning.

_Brother is right. I should take it easy._

Alphonse sat under the street lights and began reading.

* * *

Ed was awoken with a clank. His sleep was very light when it came to foreign noises. He sat up on the bed. His golden hair was undone, falling beneath his shoulders. He squinted his eyes, trying to see in the darkness.

"Al?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper. No, Al wasn't back yet. Ed threw part of his hair to the back as he stood up. The I.V was removed from his arm yet he had the white tourniquet wrapped around his neck. There was an annoying stinging that came every time he moved his head, but Ed didn't care. It didn't hurt like hell anymore, at least. Soon he and Al would leave this place and go-

That sound he heard before. Was it a clanking of metal? Alphonse?

"Al!" he called out.

No answer.

Ed shivered. Had the room gotten colder? He reached at the chair and wore his red coat over his hospital clothes. After wearing the hospital slippers, he slowly opened the door, peeking outside.

There was no one.

"Huh?"

The ugly sensation that Ed had the day he was attacked returned.

_Where are the guards? And Al? Did something happen to him? What if..?_

Ed stopped himself. He couldn't let his mind run wild like that. He rapidly walked down the halls, checking every unoccupied room.

"Al? Are you around here? Please…"

When he didn't get a response, he decided to go upstairs, to the third floor. His panic grew with every step he took, yet he had no idea that his brother was still outside. Safe and sound, unaware of what was happening…

* * *

Meanwhile, Alphonse walked towards his brother's room, trying to move as quietly as possible. He didn't want to disturb any other patients.

He just couldn't concentrate on reading. What he didn't know was that his brother was upstairs, looking for him.

When he didn't see the two guards that were supposed to be in front of his brother's room, panic surged through him. He ran and swept the door open.

"Brother!" he asked, turning on the lights.

But the "What the hell, Al? I'm trying to sleep." he was waiting for his brother to say didn't come.

Ed was missing.

The covers were kicked off and the red coat was missing.

"No, it can't be…" Alphonse said to himself. He immediately ran to the closest phone booth. He dialed a numbers as fast as he could, trying to calm himself down. After several rings, there was finally an answer.

"This is Colonel Roy Mustang." came a sleepy voice with a yawn. It was clear he's just woken up.

"C-Colonel, I-the guard aren't there! And b-brother's m-missing! I-I don't know w-what I s-should do! I'm s-scared Colonel, what if it's that f-freak? I didn't know who else t-to call! P-please!" Alphonse spoke rapidly, shaking all over.

"Alphonse?" This time he sounded totally awake.

"Yes?"

"I'll be there in five minutes, just hold on. I promise he'll be okay. He probably went out to take some fresh air. Just don't do anything crazy till I get there, alright?"

Roy stared at the clock beside his bed which showed two twenty-six in the morning.

_This kid's going to be the death of me…_

"O-okay, thanks Colonel."

Alphonse put down the receiver and sat on one of the benches. He told himself he could endure five minutes of waiting. Even though those five minutes would pass as an eternity.

* * *

"Alphonse, are you in here?" Ed entered another unoccupied room.

_Damn it! Why did I tell him it's okay to go outside? If he…_

But no. He would find Alphonse. He had to. He opened the door of another room. There was a blue drape pulled over in the middle.

And was that…and armor leg peeking behind it?

Edward immediately stepped forward and swept open the drapes.

It was not Alphonse.

It was just a piece of junk. Put there to… lure him?

The door closed behind him.

"Good to see that you're on your feet again."

Ed turned around to face the attacker only half a meter away from him. The man lunged at him and Ed dodged. There was nowhere to run to. The only option left was the windows next to him.

"Where is my brother?" Ed asked in anger, positioning himself.

"Typical older brother…" the man mumbled. "I don't know, and I don't care."

At least now he knew Al was safe. Now only if he could-

The black masked attacker kneed him in the ribs just before Ed met his hands. Then punched him on the face, forcing Ed to take a step backwards. But there was nowhere to go and Ed fell on the hospital bed.

The attacker cackled as he climbed over Ed just before Edward could stand back up. He pinned Ed's automail arm with his right hand just before he could raise it. Then he clamped a hand on Edward's windpipe.

"I knew I should have slit your throat when I had the chance. But since you're not dead, I should suffer you more. Slowly suffocating you to death, what d'ya say?"

The man pressed tightly, letting Edward breath but not letting him get the amount of oxygen he needed.

"Why…you…"

Blood started to seep through the tourniquet on Ed's neck. The wound had reopened.

Edward clawed at the man's hand with his nails but couldn't release the pressure on his neck. The man was sitting on his hips, further immobilizing him. As if it wasn't bad enough, he couldn't clap and there wasn't anything that he could use to draw a transmutation circle with. And even if he had, could he possibly have enough time?

It was a crushing defeat. He was screwed.

His vision was starting to darken around the edges from the lack of oxygen. He slowly felt the strength leaving his body as his arm loosened its grip from the man's arm.

Edward has been shot at, had lacerations, and concussions. And now he was being strangled. If he ever got out of there alive, he thought he should write a list of how many times and why he got admitted to a hospital.

"Get your hands off my subordinate, you scum!"

The grip on Ed's neck slightly released and he shifted his head towards the noise. Roy was standing at the entrance, a hand poised to snap.

"Seems like today isn't my day…" said the attacker just before he slid off the bed and ran to the open window. "Laters." And he jumped.

Ed began to cough. Finally, he could breathe.

"He jumped from the third floor…" Roy muttered as he stared at the running figure.

"Brother, where did you disappear to?! I was so worried!" Al yelled, helping his brother up.

"I heard a clank and I thought it was you. Then the guards were missing so I thought…" he held his throbbing neck.

Roy turned towards his young subordinate. "You're bleeding."

"If I died here, it would be so ironic." Ed muttered.

"Don't say that!" Alphonse yelled. "We've been looking everywhere for you!

Ed scowled. "Yeah well you see, I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Roy shook his head. "Can you two be a bit quiet? We're at a hospital. And stop bickering, it's over now." He held Ed by his arm, assisting him up.

"You need to return to your room, shorty." Roy yawned.

"Who are you calling-"

As Ed stood up, black spots filled his vision and he swayed. "Thanks for coming, Colonel." He whispered.

Ed held Roy's arm tightly as his knees buckled.

"Ed, you alright?"

And the second time that week, Edward collapsed in Roy's arms, unconscious.

* * *

"Ahh…. Feels good to be out of that place." Ed muttered as he slipped his red coat over his clothes. "Good thing the doctor didn't notice the bleeding or who knows how long he'd keep me in there."

"You were lucky again, Fullmetal. You know how pissed I was when Al called me?" Roy said with a frown as they exited the hospital.

"Then you shouldn't have come. Or maybe you were scared of the paperwork you'd have to do if I died."

"Brother!" Al whacked him on the head.

"Ow!"  
Roy frowned. "I couldn't turn down Alphonse. I'm not a heartless bastard."

Ed smiled. "You're not a heartless bastard. You're just _a bastard._"

"Stop talking like that Ed!"

"Oh, whatever."

Roy sighed but deep down, he was relieved that Ed was safe. But of course, he had no intention of telling him that.

"Since those guards at the hospital were injured, I guess the Fuhrer will assign new bodyguards for you." Roy said entering the Eastern Command Headquarters.

Lieutenant Hawkeye appeared in front of them. "Good to have you back, alive and well Edward. The Fuhrer's waiting for you inside. You too, Colonel."

"When did he even get here?" Ed asked.

_Us too? What could he possibly tell me?_

Roy entered after Ed and found the Fuhrer sitting calmly on one of the chairs.

"Hello Edward. I'm relieved to see your fine after your encounter with that assassin. The State couldn't afford to lose such a talented alchemist." He turned to Mustang. "Colonel Mustang, I heard you helped him."

Ed looked away.

Roy spoke with the usual coldness in his voice. "Alphonse asked me for help and I couldn't turn him down. I am sure that the State Alchemists can take care of themselves. Or I thought so."

Ed's mouth twisted into a scowl. He felt like he owed the Colonel after all he'd done, and now there he was, being a bastard again.

The Fuhrer stared at the two in silence, feeling the tension. After taking a sip of his tea, he spoke up.

"This attacker might be still out there, waiting to strike. Which means you, Edward Elric will be assigned a new guard."

Ed raised his eyebrows.

"Colonel Roy Mustang, you are assigned to be Major Edward Elric's bodyguard full-time from now on until the day the attacker is caught."

It took a while for the words to sink in.

Ed's jaw dropped. He tried to say something but there seemed to be a knot in his throat. What the hell was this guy thinking?

He turned to Roy, whose eyes seemed to be as wide as his.

"Come on Fuhrer, you've got to be kidding." Ed spoke with a terror-stricken voice.

"Sir, I am his commanding officer. Why should I serve him?"

"You won't be serving him. You'll be protecting him."

Roy opened his mouth to speak again yet he knew it was fighting a losing battle. It was useless. He glanced at Ed who simply glared at him with furious eyes.

"Yes, sir." Roy replied, trying to hide the disgust in his voice.

"Edward Elric?"

"Yes, sir."

"You're dismissed. Colonel Mustang, I would like to have a few words with you."

Edward exited the room, hands balled into fists. He muttered something under his breath as he closed the door.

"Colonel, I see that you and your subordinate do not get along, yes?" Fuhrer Bradley asked, sipping his tea.

"Excuse me, sir, but he drives me crazy. Not to mention he's an immature hot-headed brat with not respect to his elders."

"You do know that he's a prodigy, right? You can't say he failed any of his missions."

Roy slightly bowed his head.

_Right._

"But I can't spend all my time with that kid till the attacker is caught. I'll lose my mind."

"Exactly Mustang. You only assume he's that way because it's the way he acts towards you. You two always bicker non-stop. You should know that Edward has been through so much pain at such young age. He didn't live through most of his childhood. Plus he has a little brother that's entirely depending on him. Losing two limbs, automail surgery in one single year, joining the military to get his brother's body back… These are some burdens that normal people cannot carry. He might be driving you mad but this is the perfect opportunity to get to know each other. Is that clear?"

Again, Roy felt like a scolded little child. But wasn't this the way he talked with Ed? He knew all those things were true but the simple thought of putting up with that brat gave him a headache.

"Yes, sir." He replied with a poker face.

"I'm glad that's settled, Colonel. You are dismissed."

* * *

A/N: Mwahahahahhahaaa! See what I mean now? This is absolutely faaabulous! The next chapter will not really have action. By that I mean no attacker sightings. But it will contain a full day (well, it starts after afternoon) at Roy's house! I love torturing these two people. Especially Ed. Let's see how they get along. Poor Alphonse, he'll be stuck between their fights.

-I hope you enjoyed that! The next time I update it will be on my 14th birthday. SO TUNE IN, REVIEW, AND DON'T LEAVE ME ALONEEEEE! LOVE YOUUU! xoxo


	3. Adjusting

A/N: Woohoo! Thanks for all the feedback you gave me! It makes me really happy reading them, so continue! And now I present you chapter 3!  
This chapter I spent lot of time thinking of COMEBACKS. Duhh. What do you expect they do when they're together 24/7? CRISIS!  
Anyways, I tried to put a bit angst/sympathetic Roy but I'm not sure if it worked. Well anyways I believe it did so yeah. LONG CHAPTER!

VampireFrootloopsRule : Major Elric. I only called him twice. One because the random soldier in front of the door's said it. I mean only Roy calls him Fullmetal so it seemed appropriate. And second the Fuhrer because he said "Colonel Roy Mustang." He didn't say "Flame Alchemist" so if he called Ed "Fullmetal" then I think it would be kinda weird. Hope that makes sense.

gundamzbd36 : 1. No. They'll be stuck at Roy's. 2. Read :D. 3. Not really….

elysenjazz : On the first chapter I said that the timeline was screwed up, so the Homunculi know about them and Roy, Ed and Al know that they are sacrifices.

The following chapter contains:  
-Comebacks I thought for a long time. (5 minutes xD)  
-Sympathetic Roy.  
-First attempt on angst.

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 3

Adjusting

"What the hell was the Fuhrer thinking? I'd rather go through another automail surgery then stay with him. It's a fact that I'll go crazy before I die, I'm telling you…"

_I can say the same thing about myself, Fullmetal._

Roy waited in the corner, hoping to hear more of their conversation. Sure, he was eavesdropping but that didn't matter. He was Ed's _guard_ now.

"Come on, brother. It's not that bad. In automail surgery you were sick, had a high temperature, and looked half-dead. Plus you didn't eat anything for days."

Roy cringed.

"Right Al. He calls me short and says some smart remark whenever he spots me. What do you think he'll do when we're stuck twenty-four seven? I'm going to have nightmares…that is if I'm not in one already. I mean I know he offered us a job, and kept our secret so I'm grateful for that. I might not be able to repay him back but you know what I mean, right?"

Roy blinked. Fullmetal and grateful? He didn't know such thing could exist.

""Sir, it's impolite to eavesdrop on other people." Hawkeye said.

Roy jumped. "Shh…" He came out of the corner and walked towards the two brothers. Edward's scowl became more extreme upon seeing him.

"I'm not exactly happy with the situation either, Fullmetal. I didn't ask to babysit you. We're going to your hotel to get your stuff. You two are coming to my house."

"I didn't ask for a babysitter either, Mustang! And why should we come to your house?" Ed arose in his chair, arms crossed.

"I still am your superior." Roy said, bending down to meet eyes with Ed. It would be easy to get him under control. But he was wrong, of course.

Ed's eyes looked as if they might catch on fire. Roy actually felt a bit frightened at what he could do if this got out of control.

"I wonder what kind of sick subordinate orders their subordinates to stay at their house! You're my guard at the moment, not my commanding officer. So stop acting like one!"

Roy laughed as he rose, straightening his back. "I thought it would be easier to keep an eye on you at my place." He turned around. "But if you rather pay for another room at the inn you're staying then I guess I have no objection…"

As Al tried to calm down his brother, Roy smiled to himself that it was going to be very interesting indeed. And no more paperwork for a while…

* * *

"So are you hungry?" Roy asked Ed after they settled.

"No."

"Don't lie to me." Roy replied. He had changed into a shirt and sweat pants. It was actually kind of weird to see him in clothing other than the boring blue military uniform. He opened the fridge to prepare some food.

"What'd the point of lying?"

"Making me mad."

"How would you know if I'm lying anyway?"

Alphonse sighed. These fights were only the beginning. He knew there would be so much more.

"Well brother, I know you haven't been eating for a few days now."

"The hospital food tastes like crap. Besides I don't really feel hungry."

"Yeah, sure." Al replied sarcastically.

"Just whose side are you on?" Ed muttered from the sofa he was seating on.

"I just say what's true."

"Is that why your brother keeps saying he's hungry, Al?" Roy asked, placing a chicken in the oven.

"Well actually, when brother bound my soul to an armor, our genes kinda got mixed. So now he's eating and sleeping my share. And on top of that, there's his automail which burns calories way too fast. Which means, if he doesn't eat anything for about a week, he could easily die. Also I'm sure he's still stuck on me-not-being-able-to-eat-because-of-him even though I told him it's fine a million times." Alphonse explained as Roy listened wide-eyed.

"Hey Al! How dare you list down your brother's weaknesses?"

"That's not really your weakness. And so what?"

"I see…" Roy began to sympathize with Ed. But wait- he couldn't go soft. He wasn't really the soft kind.

"I hope you know that you can't pursue the Stone till that guy is caught."

Alphonse grumbled.

Ed muttered something that sounded like "Not with you breathing down our necks." Then he took an alchemy book out of nowhere and began reading.

"By the way, I'm allergic to milk so I hope you don't use it in any of your food." Ed added matter-of-factly.

"Brother!"

"What? You want your brother to die?"

"But-"

Roy could easily tell that it was a lie.

"I don't remember anything like that on your file."

"With age comes bad memory."

"I'll check it when I go back."

"Just be happy that you don't have to do paperwork!"

Roy didn't respond. He knew he'd lost this time. Oh well. He'd get him back some later time. Who knew how long they were stuck here?

Soon the dinner was ready. Ed and Al helped set the table as Roy prepared the soup and the salad. Al quietly sat on the table, watching the two of them. They would glance at each other once in a while and go back to eating.

After Roy finished his soup, a beeping came from the kitchen. He jumped from his chair, looking at the gray smoke. He ran to the oven, taking out the chicken.

He set the chicken on the table. It was partly burnt on the top.

"Seems like you can't control your flames, Colonel."

"Be grateful that you're getting to eat in the first place."

_Uh oh._

Alphonse knew it wasn't normal for them to stay silent for so long.

"Is that how you act towards your guests? And I thought you were the one that told me that I didn't have manners."

Roy's brow twitched.

"You're getting on my nerves, Fullmetal."

"Why? Are you getting automail surgery too? (1)"

"Edward!"

"WHAT?"

"I will court-martial you if you keep acting like that!"

Ed smirked knowing he had succeeded in angering Roy. "Losing your calm so quickly when you're planning to be Fuhrer? This never would have happened if you hadn't forced us to come to your house because you were too worried about your own comfort!"

Roy rose from the chair, eyes burning with fury.

"I wasn't the one who got his neck sliced to begin with!"

Edward stood up too, leaning in for emphasis. At slowly pushed himself backwards, preparing for the storm.

"Well, sorry me! I was waiting in someone's office because that someone called me about how my report was late!"

"If you didn't want to write a damn report then you shouldn't have signed up for the military!"

"It's not like I had a choice."

"All this never would have happened if you hadn't transmuted your mother in the first place!" Roy finally yelled.

Al froze.

There was a big silence.

The change on Edward was worth seeing. His anger suddenly dropped as the light in his eyes flickered. He pressed his lips together as he sat back down. He bowed his head, hiding his face expression with his bangs as he began poking the chicken with his fork.

"Right…" he said quietly, defeated. He popped a piece of the chicken in his mouth along with a burnt part.

And Roy realized he had gone too far as he also sat back in his chair. The hot-headed punk was gone now. He really had pressed the wrong nerve. And he regretted it.

"Sorry," Ed began. "That was stupid of me. You're helping us and I'm being a smart-ass. Thanks for the food." He stood up, a fake smile plastered across his face like the many others he'd had. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go sleep now." He had barely eaten anything.

Edward walked down the halls, disappearing on a corner, hands in pockets.

Had Ed just said sorry to him?

He had really upset the kid.

"It's only six!" Roy yelled after him.

"Who cares?" was all he got just before the door closed.

Alphonse sighed. Not that he was actually letting out a breath.

"I went too far, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did." Al grabbed the book his brother had left behind. "He already blames himself more than enough, Colonel. He might be a professional at hiding it but I know."

Roy bowed his head. And as if that wasn't enough, he had taken it all and threw it at Ed's face.

"Well, he'll be fine soon. He needs to be alone for a while."

Roy bent down and grabbed the sliver watch Edward had dropped. He had seen the date inside before. Though he didn't know the meaning behind it. He looked at the calendar. No, it had passed.

It was November now.

"Al, can you…Can you tell me what happened on the third of October?"

Alphonse looked puzzled for a moment, if he could.

"Oh…Oh! I think we burnt down our house on that day. How come?"

Roy's eyes widened. "You burnt down your own house?"

"You think you know a lot about a person when you see you've known nothing at all…" Al mumbled.

"Your brother seemed to be in a foul mood that day. But why?"

"Well, it only seemed to be the logical thing to do. I mean we don't have a family anymore. All there is painful memories. So we decided to burn it all. So we could never come back. But… we still go there. And we can't forget. If that makes sense."

Alphonse silently went back to reading.

Obviously, Ed had chosen not to forget. He had kept a reminder so that he wouldn't turn back and forge his goal.

Roy knew what Al meant. He wanted to forget all the horrors of the Ishvalan War. The smell of blood, the bodies of the corpses still haunted his nightmares. He didn't want to remember the desperate faces of his enemies just before he killed them. But he knew he never would. No matter how hard he tried, they were carved somewhere in the back of his mind. And Roy would never be able to totally wash off the guilt he carried no matter how many times he'd told himself it was war.

Edward was still a teenager. It didn't seem to be fair that someone so young to carry that much burden on their shoulders.

Roy was twenty-one years old when the war happened and he had been on the verge of a nervous breakdown. But Ed had seen worse when he was only eleven. He knew how hard it was. But it was much harder for someone who had a person depending on them. Edward could never let his emotions reach to the surface, because he had to be always strong. For Al. He had matured way too fast for his age. He was afraid that Ed would actually snap one day.

"I'm going to speak with Edward."

* * *

Edward lay on his side, eyes open as he faced the wall. He had focused on thinking about that night again. He remembered the unsure look on his brother's face as he asked him if he was sure for the second time.

The blue flash of light, the eye that appeared on the ground as black hands rose…

His leg was just torn apart.

And his vain attempt to hold his brother as he was totally consumed. And then the truth.

His automail began hurting.

_It's your punishment. You know it is._

The distorted mangled creature reached out to him…

He remembered his desperation as he crawled towards the armor and drew a seal with his own blood.

Then his right arm was torn apart too. But who cared? All that mattered now was retrieving Alphonse.

He had shut his brother into that thing, unable to feel, unable to sleep, unable to eat or drink. Who knew how much pain he was feeling? Alphonse must have been resenting him for that.

Perhaps, he deserved all this for the things he'd done to his mother and brother. How selfish he'd been…

There was a knock on the door, bringing him back from his thoughts. He sat up, biting his lip.

"Edward?"

It was the Colonel, who had finally called him something other than Fullmetal or short for once.

"Yes?" he replied, his voice bearing no emotion.

"Can I come in?"

"I said I was sorry."

Really, what now? Had he come back to torment him some more? But no, he told himself, he deserved this. Roy was right.

This time Mustang's voice was more persistent.

"Can I come in?"

He didn't have a choice.

"It's your house."

Ed sat up on the bed as the door creaked open. He looked into the eyes of Roy. And there seemed to be a bit of guilt in there. His mouth was in a straight line, not bearing the scowl that was usually on his face.

"I'm sorry, Ed." he said softly.

Sorry?

"What are you sorry for? I was the one who was being an annoying jerk." He replied, stubbornness in his voice.

"No, Ed listen, I'm sorry for reminding you of the transmutation. It wasn't my place."

"It's okay, it's my fault anyway. I was so into it that I never thought how it would affect others when I attempted it."

Roy put an assuring hand on Ed's shoulder much to his surprise.

"You were only eleven. You couldn't have known something like that would have happened. It's understandable considering the situation you were in."

Ed lowered his head, staring at the ground.

"I did know it was forbidden. I knew we shouldn't attempt it. Even Al warned me about it. And now I've…"

_I've put him into a shell where he can't feel, eat or drink _left unsaid behind Ed's silence.

Roy was surprised. He had sounded so frail. Never in these two years had he seen Ed act like that.

"Come on, Ed. I'm sure Alphonse-"

"And that is why I'll never stop at getting his body back. Even if I end up dead in the end."

His voice had suddenly changed from the guilt-filled sounds he was making a while ago. It was stern and strong as ever and Roy could feel the seriousness in his voice.

"What about your limbs?"

The answer was nonchalant.

"I don't really care." Yep, the frail voice was really gone.

Roy paused. He dropped his arm from Ed's shoulder who stared at his face. Yet, Roy said nothing.

When Edward had began his journey, it was only for his brother. He never really intended to get his limbs back in the first place. He had accepted it as his punishment and that's why he carried those heavy metals around every day to remember what he'd done.

Now that Roy thought about it, Edward's shortness might have been caused by his automail too.

Another realization.

"I understand Ed, I'm still very sorry about the whole thing."

Ed gave a grin as he sat back on the bed.

"Whatever…"

Roy smiled. It would be alright. They were good.

"Lock your windows.

"I know, I know." After a brief silence, Ed came up with a new question.

"Do you have any books about flame alchemy?"

Roy smirked. "If you're planning on blowing up my house, you can forget it."

Ed laughed. "Worried I might do it better than you?" Before letting Roy speak with an angry retort, he continued talking. "Oh well, then I'll go back to practicing Alkahestry. I brought back a few books."

"Have you learnt anything about it?"

Ed smiled evilly. "Ever since I've learnt to read the dragon's pulse, everything's been easy as child's play."

Roy blinked. When had he learnt all this?

"Does the clapping thing work with it too?"

Ed's smile grew even bigger. He almost looked like an insane scientist who had cornered his next test subject.

"It's just another bonus." Ed clapped and put his hands on the floor. The wall that Roy was leaning on collapsed and he fell in the rubble.

"Ow." Roy muttered as he stood up. He gained his composure and straightened himself. "You better fix this wall…"

Ed took out a chalk and drew a five-pointed star with a circle. Then he threw five kunais on the corners of the circle.

"And if I can't clap…" he began, throwing five more kunais in Roy's way. One of them came so close that it cut a few strands of his hair.

"What was that for?! You nearly skewered me!"

Ed gave a smirk. "For calling me short all the time. Good thing Lieutenant Hawkeye doesn't live with you. Maybe she will someday…" he said a dreamy look on his face.

Roy blushed. Yes, Ed was a prodigy but how could he know _that_? He couldn't read minds.

"Anyways, I have good aim so I'll hit my target all the time. Now move away, Colonel."

Roy took a few steps back and turned towards the rubble. There were five kunais positioned as the five-pointed star. Edward put his hand on the circle he'd drawn. The rubble flooded with electricity as the blue light connected the kunais. The wall suddenly fixed itself as Ed plucked the kunais.

"Well that was pretty impressive." Roy said amazed.

"I am now undefeatable!"

"Brother!" Al walked into the room, completely ignoring Roy standing there.

"Al?"

"In the book about Xerxes…"

"Yeah?"

"It's just a theory but it says that the trait of the people from Xerxes is that they have blond hair and golden eyes. (2)"

Ed's eyes lit up for a moment. But then it was suddenly gone, replaced by a scowl instead.

"Mom's hair is a chestnut color and…it's impossible anyway. Xerxes was destroyed a long time ago."

"But maybe-"

Ed had suddenly turned uncomfortable. "Why don't we talk about this later?" he said, persistent.

"Okay…"

It seemed like Ed didn't want to talk about his father.

"I'm going downstairs. Don't do anything without asking me. And don't fight." Then he turned around and left.

Ed frowned.

"That was kinda weird. What did you talk about brother?"

"Alkahestry. That's all."

"Oh…"

Roy came back a few minutes later, dragging a heavy brown suitcase behind him. He let it drop on the ground with a big thud.

"What's in this thing? It's fricking heavy." he asked.

"No one asked you to carry." Ed retorted.

"Come on…" Al said quietly, hoping there wouldn't be another fight.

Roy put down and undid that straps. There were books. Lot of them. A few clothes. And a pack of cards.

"You carry this around every day?!" he asked again, ridiculously.

"Only when we're traveling…" Al replied.

"But why so much books?"

Ed sighed. "We don't really have anything to do. And it gets boring, you know…"

_No wonder he's a prodigy. BOOKS._

Roy stood back up.

"Well, I'll leave you alone then. Be careful."

This time, he left them for good.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to be careful when I'm sleeping." Ed muttered, taking off his shirt and wearing his pajamas.

Al sat on the bed next to his.

"It's okay brother. I'll protect you."

"Thanks, Al."

That night, Ed slept peacefully, without any worries hunting his dreams.

* * *

(1) You know how automail gets connected with nerves? So "you're getting on my nerves"? Really bad joke, I know. xD I couldn't help myself.

(2) You might never have noticed this but Hohenheim, Ed and Al are the only people that have blond hair and golden eyes. Hohenheim was also the only person left alive from Xerxes. And he passed it onto his sons. Don't believe me? Just look at Ending 5 of Brotherhood. There is a group of people with blond hair and golden eyes all from Xerxes. Arakawa-sama really is an expert, isn't she? I bet you never even noticed that little hint. I am epic…

* * *

A/N: WOOHOO! Finally done! I hope you liked that! And tell me if the characters were OOC or not and what you liked best and didn't like.  
THANKS FOR READING AND REVIEWS WOULDN'T HURT TO WRITE, YOU KNOW! ;DD


	4. Unseen

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews you guys gave me! I really appreciate it! If only some other people could be like you…

Wouldn't it be nice if this fanfic was in some community? My poor little fanfic...all alone...by itself...AWWW

StellatheAlchemist: You know this is fanfiction, right? So in this story I really wanted to make Ed know about Alkahestry since, well, he's epic. And I wanted Roy to know about the engraving in Ed's watch. This is a parental after all and I'm trying to make Roy know Ed better…

I'm going to say it again: I'm not very good in angst, so if you don't see any in here, then don't blame me! But just wait for Chapter 9. It will completely consist of angst!

-BTW The attacker is an OC.

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 4  
Unseen

"Time to wake up!" Roy entered the Elric's room without knocking. Alphonse sat upon the bed.

"Good morning, Colonel." said Alphonse formally.

"Good morning, Alphonse." Roy turned to the lump on the other bed.

"Fullmetal?"

"Maybe you should call me by his _name, _Colonel."

"Edward?"

No response.

Roy walked up to the bed and pulled the blanket off. Ed's body was positioned towards the wall. His hand was gripping his arm's automail joint. Roy bent forward to take a look at his face. Part of it was covered by his golden locks but he could see that Ed was uncomfortable. He nudged him. Still Ed didn't budge.

"This kid's saying he woke up with a clank at the hospital, but now he doesn't even give a reaction. I can't tell if he's only pretending to be asleep or if he actually is."

Alphonse laughed. "Brother will wake up at any foreign noise or one that's posed as a threat. But since he's used to yours, he'll just ignore it."

Roy was bewildered. "He can do that?"

"Yep."

"Hey shorty!" Roy tried again. He was sure that would do the trick. But all he got was a groan from the bed.

"When we're by ourselves, I let him sleep. He always wakes himself up when we have something to do. But if he doesn't want to miss breakfast then…" Alphonse cackled evilly.

"B-brother…He-help me…The Homunculi…" he spoke with a frail voice.

Edward sprang up from the bed, eyes wide with worry.

Then he noticed that Roy Mustang and his little brother were watching him in great amusement.

"Why you…YOU NEARLY PUT ME INTO CARDIAC ARREST! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO YOUR OWN BROTHER?! AND I THOUGHT I COULD TRUST YOU!"

Alphonse simply shrugged much to Ed's anger.

"And you!" Ed pointed an accusing finger towards the Colonel. "What are you doing here?! Do you know what privacy means?"

"I came here to wake you up. If you want to miss breakfast then, that's fine with me. I'll be downstairs, the table is already set."

Roy laughed and left with Alphonse.

"Watching me while I sleep, and I thought this couldn't get any worse…" Ed muttered as they left him in the room alone by himself.

* * *

"What's in this thing?" Ed asked, picking up a sandwich.

"Worried that I might poison you?" Roy asked. "It's only grilled cheese and butter." He sipped his orange juice.

Edward suspiciously stared at it before taking a bite.

"Mmm… It's good. Never thought you could make food like this."

"You don't expect me to go to a restaurant every day, do you? And I've just proven that you're not allergic to milk."

Ed reddened. It was true. Cheese was made from milk.

"Well, I hate milk! It's like drinking vomit!"

"Ever wondered why you're so short?" Roy asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I don't care, you'll never get me to drink that crap!"

Al and Roy laughed.

"By the way Colonel, why are you living in this huge house all by yourself?" Al changes the subject.

"Yeah, how come you didn't get yourself a wife yet? Aren't you like, what, thirty or something?" Ed asked.

Roy flushed. It was Hughes all over again.

"It's twenty-eight! And shut up!" he yelled.

It was Ed's turn to laugh.

"Maybe you'll score after you become Fuhrer."

Ed drained half of his orange juice and suddenly turned serious.

"This orange juice…"

"What?" Roy asked.

"There's no milk in it, right?"

Al put his hand on his face. Roy blinked. "That's stupid. Why the hell would I do such a thing?"

"I don't know, it just tastes weird…" Ed said, finishing his sandwich.

Roy took another sip of his orange juice. "Well, mine tastes normal and I've poured it from the same container."

After a few minutes, Ed began to cough.

"What's wrong?"

"My throat's burning. I-I need to go to the bathroom." He stood up, holding his neck.

He stumbled inside the bathroom and shut the door behind him. He knelt over the sink, emptying all that he had into it. His stomach was completely empty now.

_Am I sick?_

The burning in his throat grew as he began to cough even loudly. He swallowed a bit of water, but it didn't go away. He lifted his head and looked into the mirror. He was dizzy. There were black spots in his vision. His legs felt like they were about to give out any moment.

Ed clapped the water to his face and dried his face on the towel. But he couldn't get rid of his blurred sight. It only got worse.

He opened the door and kneeled on the wall, still coughing.

"Ed. Edward? Edward!"

"Huh?" Ed turned towards the noise. It was Mustang's. But it sounded like Ed was underwater. He could make out their faces. He fell to his knees.

"Yoohoo! Can you hear me?"

Someone was shaking him.

"C-Colonel?" He stood up and arms pushed him onto a sofa.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

_Alphonse?_

"My throat…" he whispered, but neither of them heard him.

"Come on, lay down."

Ed let his head rest on the pillow. He tried to say more but his throat hurt. A lot.

He was still unaware that Alphonse kept asking him questions and that Roy was calling Dr. Knox.

* * *

"Your brother really isn't allergic to milk, is he?" Roy asked, staring at Ed writhing on the sofa.

"No, he isn't. He eats it in stew. Maybe he's sick?"

Roy brought his hand on Ed's forehead. But Ed was too weak to protest.

"He doesn't have a temperature…Edward?"

"My throat hurts…" was all he got. Ed was holding his throat in pain and sweating. Poor kid.

"Oh, brother."

The bell rang.

"Yes Knox, we think he's sick. He was eating breakfast then he suddenly ran to the bathroom. He doesn't have a temperature but…"

"Hmm…" Dr. Knox walked towards the extremely pale boy lying on the sofa. Ed coughed.

"How's your throat?" he asked in a loud voice.

"Burning…like acid. Breathing makes it worse."

He turned towards Roy and Al.

"What did he eat?"

"A sandwich and orange juice. Oh yeah, didn't he say the juice tasted weird."

"Something…sweet…please?" Ed managed before coughing again.

Roy went to one of the drawers to get some chocolate while Knox walked up to the kitchen table with Al. He picked up the juice and smelled it. Then he dipped one finger in it and touched it to his tongue. His eyes widened.

"This…"

"What?" Roy and Al asked at the same time.

"Arsenic. (1)"

Roy dropped the box of chocolate in his hands. Al gasped.

"WHAT?!" They asked again, ridiculously.

"Not a usual method. It's usually used to kill rats. Judging by how he looks, he got most of it out. Arsenic takes about four hours to completely take effect. Though, his throat has a burning sensation. Which means it began to set in. It's a good thing you called me early. If I remember correctly, I have a bottle of the antidote back at home. I have to go and get it."

"T-thanks..." Ed wheezed.

The conversation he and Ed had that morning popped in Roy's head.

"_What's in this thing?" Ed asked, picking up a sandwich._

"_Worried that I might poison you?"_

"DAMN IT! When did this happen?" Guilt began building up inside him.

Alphonse thought for a moment. "Maybe the time you came to wake him?"

Roy sighed. "Of course… Now I can't get you out of my eyesight for a second. We really have to stick twenty-four seven."

But his words were the least of Ed's worries.

"Choc…olate..?"

"Oh right, sorry." Roy took out a chocolate bar from the box and handed it to him who gobbled it almost immediately.

Knox squinted his eyes and cast them a suspicious glare. "Don't do anything crazy till I get back." Then he shut the door.

Edward looked at Roy with his dilated pupils.

"Thanks… If it isn't too much to ask…can I have another one?"

"Sure, I don't eat it anyway. It's a gift from Hughes."

Ed got into a half-lying, half-sitting position as Roy set the chocolate box on his lap.

A few minutes passed as they sat in silence.

But of course, it was interrupted as the windows broke, shattering glass around the room.

Envy jumped in, careful not to step on any broken glass with his bare feet. He ran to Ed and sat on his legs before anyone could react.

Edward felt lucky that his leg –only one because the other is automail- wasn't broken under all that weight.

"How's it going, pipsqueak? You don't look so good." He crossed his legs and laid his arm over the top of the sofa.

Roy began fishing his pockets for gloves.

"Don't bother Fire Boy, I didn't come here to fight. That is if any of you resist."

"What…What do you want?" Ed yelled, coughing again. He tried to pull his legs so that Envy wouldn't be sitting on them, but Envy only put on more pressure.

"You look pretty shaky."

"Why are you here, Envy?" Al yelled, getting into position.

"I need your brother to come with me."

"I will never!"

"And why is that?" Roy asked.

Envy shrugged. "Father said he's going to try something. And you're needed."

They waited for Envy to strike yet he calmly reached out, took a piece of chocolate from Ed's lap, and popped it into his mouth.

"Resistance is futile and you're not in any position to fight, Fullmetal Shorty. I would hurt you, but I'm holding myself back because I don't know what Father would say. So don't make this harder than it already is."

Roy stood up to get his gloves from his military uniform's pocket.

"Don't move. It will do you more harm than good." Envy said, nonchalant.

"Well, I'm…not going anywhere!" Ed transmuted the port of his automail into a blade. "Tell that to that bastard who created you!"

Envy rose and grabbed Ed by his collar, hoisting him upwards.

"Listen kid, I came here to ask _nicely_. I don't give a damn what you think."

Ed stuck his blade into Envy's midsection, and Envy dropped him. Black spots filled Ed's vision once again as he fell on his side, his vision tilting.

Alphonse began fighting with healed Envy.

"You can't defeat me. I'm way more powerful then you. Don't you humans get that?" Envy threw Alphonse across the room. He turned back to the coughing boy below his feet.

"Aww, look at you. No more energy left?" Envy brought his foot down on Ed's stomach, making him gasp for air. Edward clapped, making the floor tiles wrap around him. Ed tried to stand up, but failed. He gazed weakly at Envy who easily broke the tiles.

"You…"

Envy was about to strike Ed again but he was suddenly engulfed by flames. "Don't you dare touch him."

He healed and turned to face Mustang.

"This will not end here." Envy spitted out venomously. Then he jumped back out the window and disappeared.

"I'm sorry, Colonel…" Ed wheezed, turning his automail to normal again. He clapped and touched to floor tiles as Alphonse fixed the broken window.

Ed climbed back on the sofa with the help of Roy. "Maybe it'll be for the best…if we just went back to the inn. They want me anyway. At least…we'll save your house from being destroyed." Ed said with a pained voice.

"That doesn't matter, you're staying here. I don't mind if my house gets destroyed."

"You can…take money from my research account…if it does."

Geez, why was this kid so stubborn? He was lying on the sofa, half-dead, and he was still trying to fix things. And why sorry? This made no sense and made Roy feel even worse.

"For the love of God, just lie down and shut the hell up. You're not the only one the Homunculi are messing with."

"They are…now."

Roy didn't respond. He knew whatever he came up with would have no effect on Edward. He'd always find something to say.

Edward started munching on chocolate once again. "This reminds me of automail surgery." He mumbled. "Except it's my throat…that hurts like hell…"

Alphonse nodded. "You looked way much worse though. Like you were about to drop-dead any moment."

Ed scowled. "Kinda like now."

Well, he was poisoned. But Roy certainly wouldn't want to see automail surgery. That was for sure. He just wished they would stop with their morbid talks. It was weird enough to see Ed look defeated. But when they talked about it…

Thankfully, Dr. Knox came back twenty minutes later with a little serum full of clear liquid in his hands. He looked around and saw that the part of the wall was blackened.

"You guys just couldn't stay put, could you? Don't tell me, I don't want to know."

He pulled the cap off the syringe and filled it with the liquid.

"How are you feeling?"

"Same…weaker."

"Alright, remove your jacket."

"Okay…" Ed said as he unzipped his jacket, revealing the black tank top underneath it.

"Now lie down and don't move. You'll be going under the effects of narcosis after this."

"Uh huh…" he eyed Alphonse. "And don't you dare try anything…like last time."

"Yeah, yeah, sorry about that."

Knox emptied the syringe into Ed's arm as Ed closed his eyes.

Dr. Knox stood back up. "He'll be fine."

"Thanks a lot, doctor." Alphonse said.

"You're welcome. It does feel great saving lives after seeing so many corpses…"

"Mind staying for a cup of coffee?" Roy asked.

"Nah, I gotto go home. My son's here."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he said he's going to be a doctor." Knox actually smiled. Something Roy hadn't seen him do since Ishval.

"Alright then, see you later."

"Goodbye, Roy." and Knox left.

Alphonse put a blanket over his brother's sleeping form. He noted that the color was slowly returning to his face and that he looked so much better.

An hour later, the bell rang once again.

"I'll go check." said Alphonse. "Mr. Hughes!"

Roy came up behind Alphonse to greet his friend.

"Hey Al! Hey Roy! What's up? Where's Ed? Don't tell me you failed at keeping an eye on him and that he's been kidnapped by the attacker." he said in his usual cheery voice.

"No Maes. He got poisoned, we got the antidote. And now he's asleep."

"Well then, you failed at protecting him! What kind of guard are you?" he yelled in Roy's face, smirking.

Roy scowled. "Shut up. Why are you here anyway?" Hughes held out a square white box.

"Is it a photo album?" Roy eyes the box suspiciously.

"No, you idiot. But if you want, I can bring one. I've got a lot of pictures of Elysia! It's just like a book of cuteness! Anyways, it's a birthday cake. Gracia made it. Oh and everyone from your team including us will be here tomorrow evening at five."

Roy blinked. "Wha-what?"

"Isn't Ed's birthday tomorrow? Elysia's so excited, she already drew a picture for him. Isn't she the most adorable girl ever?"

"Oh yeah…" Al mumbled. "We haven't been celebrating it since…" His voice trailed away.

_The transmutation._

"I'm sure he forgot it too."

"Well then it'll be a nice change!" Maes began. "I guess this is okay with you, Roy, since they're staying at your house. Also you don't have a wife that will get angry at you if your house gets crashed."

"HEY!"

Hughes turned around and began walking after he handed the cake to Roy.

"See you tomorrow. And try not to let Ed know about this."

"O-okay…"

Alphonse shut the door as Roy went to put the cake to the kitchen.

"How old is he, Alphonse?"

"Turning fourteen tomorrow."

"It's been two years, huh…" Roy mumbled.

Al went to check on his brother. Edward was breathing heavily and his face was contorted in pain.

"D…don't…" he murmured.

"Huh?"

"He's having a nightmare." Al said. "Brother?" he gave him a nudge.

Ed opened his eyes and sighed in relief as he saw Alphonse.

"It's a good thing you're always with me, Al." Ed put an arm over his forehead.

"What did you see, brother?"

Roy paused to hear the response as he prepared the dinner.

"I…I saw him."

* * *

(1) Arsenic is a type of poison. It's on the Periodic Table. It's a good thing I know lot of things about poisons…. MWAHAHAHAHHAHAA!

* * *

A/N: Hmm…Did you like the ending? I think it's obvious who Ed saw. I mean, duh.

Anyways….Reviews makes the writers happy. So since I make you happy by UPDATING, you should make me happy by REVIEWING. Seriously, I wonder what goes on the brains of those who don't review. I guess I'll never know since I review every story I read.

Well I'm still thankful you read this and I'll update soon. Tell me what you liked, what you didn't liked, predictions on what will happen next and yeah, tell me if it was good, what I could fix. If there are mistakes point them out because I don't usually realize them or they're just typos.

EITHER WAY I LOVE YOU! THANKS FOR READING! :D


	5. Happy Birthday to You

A/N: I've decided to update early! Aren't I such a nice person? Well okay, actually I'm not very nice. I wrote lot of Ed-torture and will…in the later chapters. Because that's my sort of thing. I think you guys like it too…Many people do! Because we're all evil towards people who don't exist. Mwahahaha!  
Thank you so much for your reviews, I never expected to get this much for Chapter 4! I love reading them! They make me so happy! :DDD

Also I know lot of things about poisons because one: I think they're fascinating. And second, Arsenic was my element in my science project so I did even MORE research on it. Ha. xD

HUGS AND KISSES TO OhHolyCow or Cartoon Cow FROM HERE (unless you dont like that sort of thing. In that case just have some chocolate. ;D) FOR PUTTING MY STORY IN SOME COMMUNITY! IT'S NOT ALL ALONE ANYMORE! YAY!

I couldn't keep my fangirlness out in this story. So I had to…I had to…JUST READ! xD

On with the story!  
ENJOYY!

* * *

Chapter 5  
Happy Birthday to You

I can't believe I had to sleep in the same room as you." Ed muttered, walking over to the dinner table for breakfast. "Also you could wake me up before preparing breakfast. I'm not so lazy you know. If only we were at the inn now…"

"I don't care, Ed. You need to rest so you could recover-"

"I feel great!" Edward interrupted. "Stop pitying me."

"I'm not pitying you, you-" Roy stopped himself.

_Not today Roy. Wait until tomorrow, only sixteen hours left._

"Hey brother, are you finished the alkahestry book?" came Al's voice as he walked inside.

"Which one?"

"Volume 3."

"Yeah, you could take it. I need to go to the library soon. I'm nearly done Volume 5."

"You read that entire book yesterday?! And I was wondering why you turned on the lights at midnight…" Roy said putting down the plate full of sausages.

"Like I said, you don't have to sleep in the same room with us!"

"It's fine, really. As long as you keep your mouth shut."

Ed gritted his teeth.

"Why don't you tell me what you dreamed off?"

"Why do you want to know?" Ed asked.

"Well, if something's bothering you, you could just come out and say it."

Ed scowled, not making eye-contact.

"Why would I want to bring you my own problems?"

Roy poked him on the face. Ed glanced up.

"Because sharing what you have stuck in mind would make you feel better. You're not familiar with it, are you?"

Ed didn't respond.

Few minutes passed as they ate in silence.

"Colonel?"

"Hmm?" Roy answered, munching on the bread.

"What did you do with tour father when you were little?" he asked quietly.

"My parents died when I was very little. I lived with my aunt and she raised me."

"Oh…"

Roy understood what Ed meant by that question. He had seen his father.

"How old were you when he left?"

This time, it was Al who spoke.

"I was four and brother was five. I kinda remember the day he left, but it's still a blur."

Instead of yelling at Roy for meddling with their affairs, Ed took it from there.

"Al woke up to go to the bathroom and I helped him. We saw him by the door with my mom. He looked back at us with that cold stern expression on his face like…like…"

_Like mine perhaps?_

"Then he just left without even looking back. He never came, didn't write a single letter. We don't even know if he's dead or not. And when we asked our mother, she'd distract us. But she waited every day for that bastard-"

"Brother!"

"Then she got sick. And we had to watch the life draining out of her every day. He didn't even come to her funeral. And we were…alone."

Roy could understand their desperation in attempting human transmutation. You have no adult to help you, you have a little brother to take care of. And when you finally think you're getting your mother back, you get to become and adult at the age of eleven. Your limbs get taken and your brother's whole body. And then you have to comfort your brother and help him, while trying to fix him.

You can't let him feel the pain you're feeling.

Roy smiled in sympathy, something he didn't do very often. "You keep too many emotions inside, Ed. You don't tell anyone anything."

"Well, I just did, didn't I?" Ed suddenly changed the subject. "Can we go to the library?"

"Sure. I'm coming too."

"Obviously."

* * *

"Colonel, why don't you go and sit down? Can't you leave us on our own for a while? Maybe you like the fact that standing next to me makes you look like a giant in comparison."

"Brother!"

"_Yes, Fullmetal. But I'm also worried that the librarian's car might mistake you for a mouse. Since you're so short and all."_ Ed mimicked in his head.

But it didn't come.

"I'm fine like this, Edward."

Had he heard correctly? Ed knew that Roy had gotten more careful after the poisoning incident but something was off. When was the last time he'd called him Fullmetal? And they hadn't even sparred today.

_He must be up to something._

"Oh my God! Is that Edward Elric?!"

All heads turned towards the noise. Two girls a bit taller than Ed ran to him. They were both very pretty, with miniskirts and long hair.

_Could it be the attackers?_, Roy thought.

The girls smiled in stood in front of him. "Are you the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric?" The girl in the glasses said.

Ed blinked in surprise. "Ye-yes…" he stammered.

"I told you!"

The dark haired girl squealed in happiness. "You're so handsome! Can I get your autograph?"

Ed smiled. "Sure…"

The girl hugged him tightly. Ed turned red as a tomato. "Thank you! My name is Lisa!"

She gave Ed a pen and a piece of paper which Ed scribbled his name on.

"Get out of the way, you had your chance Lisa!" Pushing his friend out of the way, the girl in the glasses came to face Edward. "My name is Alice and I am SUCH a big fan of yours. I don't think you're as short as everyone says!" she grabbed his arm.

"T-thanks." Ed said.

"Is this your automail arm?" The girl named Alice pushed up the sleeve. "It's so cool!"

Ed just stared as Alice began flirting with him. Lisa watched along the side with a jealous expression on her face.

"Oh my God!" Alice pulled the strand of hair that was loose on Ed's shoulder. "It's such a nice color! I'll keep this for the rest of my life!"

"Umm, ladies?"

Lisa and Alice both turned to the onyx-eyed man standing next to Ed as if just noticing him now.

"Who are you? Librarian?" Lisa asked.

"What? No!"

Ed laughed. "He's Colonel Mustang."

"A Colonel?"

"I've never heard of him…"

Roy flushed. This…this brat was getting all the attention in front of his eyes! Unbelievable! How…How…

Both of the girls turned back to Edward.

"It was a big pleasure meeting you Mr. Elric!"

Alice leaned in and kissed Ed on the cheek much to everyone's surprise. Then she smiled and walked away with Lisa.

"How can you do that?! You promised you wouldn't kiss him!"

"Jealous?"

"Of course I am! Look at those eyes! They're gorgeous!"

Ed held his cheek and stared after his admirers like a deer caught in headlights.

"Brother, you're good with the ladies. Even though you never really say anything."

"Shut up!" Ed blushed.

Roy felt a bit of jealousy rising in him. He'd always thought he'd been good with woman but now… But no. Ed had paid the price of his fame. And a big one at that.

"She kissed you!" Alphonse teased.

"Al!"

"You're still holding your cheek!"

Ed let go and went to bury himself in the books. Roy glanced at him. He was shy around girls.

"There is only one girl in Ed's heart…" Al said dreamily.

_Really?_

"And that would be?"

"STOP IT!" Ed yelled at them. "There's no one!"

Their fight was interrupted as two long spears nailed Roy to the wall by his shirt, rendering him unable to move. Another two stabbed Alphonse.

Ed turned around to face Lust.

"Hello blond boy. I heard that you caused a bit of trouble for Envy."

"Why you…" Ed clapped and touched the bookshelf. A spike impaled her in the neck but she didn't retrieve her fingers.

Ed charged at her before she could recover but a voice stopped him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." said Envy.

Ed turned around. Envy had his hand turned into a blade and he was holding it towards his brother's metal chest.

"Was this were the blood seal was?"

"Run, Edward!"

"You can't kill him." Ed said coldly.

Envy grinned. "Oh yeah, you guys are important sacrifices, but he isn't…" he turned to Roy.

Mustang managed to rip out is shirt. He took out his gloves, facing Envy.

Lust smiled, knowing what was about to come as she retracted her fingers.

Envy laughed and shape-shifted into Edward. Then he turned around and charged at Ed.

Ed was taken away by surprise. He didn't have time to register as Envy knocked him to the floor. They rolled but Envy ended up on top of it.

"Brother!" Al yelled.

"How are we supposed to know which one's real?"

Meanwhile Envy punched Ed on the face. Then he landed several blows on his chest hard enough to crack a few ribs.

"Don't let his disguise fool you, Colonel!" yelled the fake Edward.

"No, don't believe him! He's trying to fool you!" Edward said as he pushed Envy off of him. He clapped and transmuted his automail port into a blade.

"That's Ed!"

Just when Roy was about to snap, the fake Ed clapped and also turned his automail into a blade as well.

"Damn it!"

Envy dodged Ed's attacks, quickly getting behind him and twisting his arm behind his back. Then he trapped him and pushed him on the floor.

"Hurry up, Colonel, I've got him!" Envy yelled in Ed's voice.

"No, it's me you Colonel bastard!"

Roy recognized the tone and the "insult" and snapped. Envy dodged the attack and laughed. He changed into his normal form and hit Ed on the back of his head. Ed slumped forwards, unconscious. Envy bent down to pick up Ed, but he was engulfed by flames.

"You're a bit late for that, Mustang." Envy said as he healed. "I can heal…but he can't."

Envy had grabbed Ed's arm at the last second. He let go and the ashes of Ed's jacket fell on the floor.

On Edward's arm, there were burns on the size of fingers where Envy had grabbed.

"Good thing you controlled your flames or his arm would have been completely burnt." Envy hissed, his violet pupils meeting with Roy's brown ones.

"Let my brother go!" Al yelled, running towards Envy but Lust stopped him by pointing a spear at Edward's vulnerable throat.

"If you hadn't resisted the last time, then none of this would have happened."

Envy easily hoisted Ed over his shoulder. He jumped out the window while Lust held them away with her nails.

Roy stared, guilt beginning to rise inside him. "You cowardly bastards, you sank as low to-" he started.

A screaming came from outside.

Lust turned her head to look. Alphonse took it as his advantage and quickly scratched a transmutation circle on the floor. He activated it and the floor tiles wrapped themselves around Lust along with her head.

The two jumped out of the window to find Envy completely covered in cement and stuck to the floor. A few meters from him stood Ed who had been obviously one to do that.

"Brother…And I thought…"

"Yeah, I guess I was a bit stunned…" Ed muttered.  
"How are you?"

"Just a little headache."

Roy stared at his gloves. "I…Umm…"

He couldn't find the right words but Ed seemed to understand.

"Envy burned me, not you Colonel."

"We should get going before they…" Al started.

"Yeah and treat that burn." Roy said persistently.

"It's actually fine, doesn't really hurt."

They quietly walked back in silence, a different thought in each other's minds.

"Aww, all that time in there and I still didn't get the book I wanted. Do I really need to buy them?" Edward blurted when they got back.

"Until next time." Roy took out his keys, unlocking the door. Edward stepped inside after Alphonse only to freeze, confused.

Everyone from Roy's team, Major Armstrong, Mr. Hughes, Gracia and Elysia were there, staring.

And then they broke into yelling.

"Happy birthday Ed!"  
"Happy birthday, chief!"

"You've grown taller!"

Ed opened his mouth to say something but closed it before he could say a word.

"Geez Maes, I thought you said you were going to come at five. It's still four! And how did you even get in?" Roy mumbled.

"Oh shut up, you obsessed time-freak. You're the only one who hides their spare keys in someplace obvious." Hughes said much to Roy's annoyance.

Hughes ran to Ed and slapped him on the back, almost knocking him off his feet. "Happy birthday, Ed! How's it going?" he asked in his cheery-mode. Ed gulped

"I have to say I'm surprised…" he admitted.

Someone grabbed him from behind.

"Mr. Elric!"

_No, not him…_

Ed's feet left the ground. "Aghh! Put me down, Major!" he yelled.

"I wish you a happy birthday, Mr. Elric! I've heard about what happened! Such tragedy! You're still as light as a book! Haven't you been eating? You should!"

Ed figured what Armstrong was planning to do. "Major, no, DON'T!"

But it was too late. Ed was already flying through the air. He landed on the couch.

Before he could properly sit back up, he fell backwards as a little girl hugged him.

"Little big bwother!" Elysia said.

She released him, pointing at the food on the table.

"It's time for dinner!"

"Right…Umm…Thanks a lot, you didn't have to do this, you know. I-"

Havoc pushed him on the back. "But we wanted to."

"Yeah…okay…" Ed mumbled. He didn't really know what to say at the moment. They all sat around the table and began eating.

"T-thanks, Ms. Gracia." Ed said.

"Don't mention it, Edward. You two are always by yourselves, we rarely see you. You're so caught up in what you're doing, so we wanted to do this. You can talk to us whenever you want. We're there for you, you know."

Everyone at the table looked at Ed as if waiting or a speech.

"Thanks a lot… I mean it's been two years since _that_ happened and Al and I didn't care about these stuff anymore. When I first joined the military, I thought I'd be… left out since I was twelve at the time. But now everything's changed. I want to say I'm really grateful for all you've done. I don't think Al and I could have gotten this far without you."

Al nodded in agreement.

"Time for the cake!" Hughes said as he put down the chocolate cake in front of Edward.

"Roy?" asked Riza Hawkeye. This was the first time Ed heard her call the Colonel by his first name. Oh well, they weren't on duty right now.

"Yeah, I know."

Roy lifted his hand, which he'd worn a glove on and snapped. There was a spark and fourteen candles lit up at once.

"Blow it!" yelled Elysia.

"You can if you want."

"No, it's not my biwthday!" she replied.

"Alright."

Edward blew out the candles as the rest of them clapped.

As soon as Gracia served the cake, Elysia stuck a drawing in front of Ed's face.

"For you!" she said.

"Thank you so much Elysia, It's very pretty!" Ed examined the drawing. He caught a glimpse of red and yellow, a tall blob of gray and another figure next to them.

"You're welcome little big brother."

Havoc walked up to Ed and handed him a gun wrapped in a red ribbon.

"We-Riza, Heymans, Kain, Vato and I bought it together. It's just that alchemy might not be there for you all the time. And since they didn't give you one because you were too young…"

"Thank you very much though I don't plan on shooting anyone with it."

"It looks so scawy." said Elysia, making everyone laugh.

Then Major Armstrong came in and handed him a beautifully wrapped present. Ed quickly unwrapped it.

It was a weigh.

"This weigh has been passed down the Armstrong line for generations!" The Major took out his shirt, flexing his muscles. "How do you think I got these?" he asked.

"Thanks a lot, Major. I'll be sure to do the workout three times a week."

"Hey Roy, what about you?" asked Havoc.

"I only learned-"

"He didn't call me short or insulted me for a whole day! That must have been one of the hardest things for you. Thanks, Colonel."

They laughed at the remark and Roy reddened.

"Brother?"

"Yeah, Al?"

"I didn't get you anything."

"Stop being funny, Al. You're here with me. It's the best present you can ever give me."

They ate the cake.

"Picture time!" Hughes said, holding a camera. He placed it a few feet away from the table.

"Everyone look this way!" he said and ran to his place.

In a few seconds there was a bright flash.

"I'm so going to make duplicates of this photo." Hughes muttered. "Also, what happened to your arm, Ed? It looks kinda red…"

"Looks like a burn." Havoc added. Mustang shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't really know…But it doesn't hurt so it's okay." Ed responded. His arm did ache but it wasn't a big of a deal.

Roy stood up. "I'll go get some ice or something." He said, mentally swearing at himself for not being careful enough as he made his way towards the fridge.

* * *

Soon later, the party broke up. As Ed and Al cleaned up the house, Roy went on washing the dishes. (I don't think washing machines existed…yet.) He was also making sure that Ed was in his peripheral vision.

As Roy turned off the water to dry his hands, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll check." Ed said.

"No." came Roy's stern voice. He ignored Edward's death glare as he made his way to the door. He stepped over the vacuum put there to trip him and smirked at Ed.

"Oh, Maes! Did you forget something?"

"Yes Roy. Also I need to speak with Ed for a moment." Hughes said, the usual cheeriness missing in his voice.

"Sure…"

Hughes stepped inside as Roy and Al curiously stared after him.

"I need to get something from the bathroom. Edward, can you please come with me?"

"Of course, Mr. Hughes."

Edward went after him as he wondered what he would say. Something about the Homunculi? Or the attacker? But then why would he want to speak with him privately?

He went in after Hughes who locked the door immediately.

"Mr. Hughes, why are you locking the door?"

"You'll learn in a second."

"Is it the attacker?"

Suddenly, Ed's braid was pulled back and Hughes pressed him to his chest. Then he took out one of his throwing knives from his sleeve and put it on Ed's throat.

"No, but it's me." whispered Envy.

* * *

A/N: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA! I AAAMMM EEEEVIIIIILLL! YESSS!

I didn't do it for the last 4 chapters people. What were you seriously expecting? I can't make everything happy. Well I don't but still. I have to abuse someone in my story. xD  
I'm sure you guys already figured that I am suffering Roy psychologically and Ed physically and just a tiny little bit psychologically. Because it's FUN!

About the fangirls up in my story: In all of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, the only fangirl Ed ever had was May Chang. But then she learned that Ed was short and she was all like "I don't like him anymore." What a stereotype. She's short too damn it! And I thought "Dude, this kid is a prodigy and he's also in the military by the age of twelve. So like, he's supposed to be FAMOUS. DUHH! And he's like…sexy too. (im a fangirl too.. duh...) So what the hell? I just had to.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you liked it…loved it. I love you. If you see any mistake anywhere, tell me, it's usually a typo because I type really fast and I don't notice them. So tell me what you liked, didn't like, what do you think will happen next. And uhh….REVIEW! BECAUSE I LOVE THEM! So if you love the story, then you could do a favor to the author you know! Okay enough of that.

THANKS FOR READING MY STORY, I WILL UPDATE SOON ENOUGH, REVIEW AND LOTS OF LOVE!


	6. Diabolical Plans These Days

A/N: I got a song stuck in my head and I keep singing it. AND IT'S THE POKEMON THEME SONG!

I don't even know where this Chapter name came from, it was very weird! Thanks for all the reviews! This chapter is awkward I guess.. I just wanted to involve the Homunculi somehow and yeah. Also I wanted to give Roy a reason to… Uhh..you'll see…

StellatheAlchemist: Al doesn't have a body so the only way I could torture him is psychologically. But…I don't really know how to. I mean I could make him extremely worried about Ed but that's all. Sorry. :/

unknown chibi: Yeah she will come at the end of the fanfic… Like a cameo. xD She's not gonna play a big part though.

haeye: Thanks for the info, I really had no idea about the difference. :D

And on we go! Envy is my favorite evil character! So I have him!

ENJOYY!

* * *

Chapter 6  
Diabolical Plans These Days...

Ed froze. He felt his blood run cold as he heard the venomous voice behind him.

"Do you have any idea how long it took me to get that cement off, huh, pipsqueak?"

"Envy…" Ed breathed. There was a glint of red electricity as Envy reverted back to his own self.

"I heard that it's your birthday today."

"Yeah and I'm not going to let you ruin it."

Ed lifted his automail leg and kicked the wall, making a huge noise. "He-"

Envy sighed as he clamped a hand over Ed's mouth and touched the blade to his throat.

"Is everything alright in there?" Roy asked, behind the door.

"Yes, Roy. Ed just slipped that's all." Envy said in Hughes's voice.

"Okay." The footsteps behind the door disappeared in the distance.

"Don't you dare make a sound." The sin whispered in his ear. "Lust is inside, hiding somewhere. If you try anything, I'll tell her to kill them. And then I'll kill you. Got it?"

Ed balled his fists, squeezing so hard that his knuckles turned white. He couldn't tell if it was a bluff from the sound of his voice. He couldn't think straight at the moment.

"At least this time, I've come prepared. I still have to get back at you for what you've done at the library."

Envy hit Ed on the back, making him fall to the floor.

"Alphonse!" Ed yelled, standing up. He turned back to Envy who kneed him hard in the ribs.

Ed heard a crack.

One of his ribs?

He fell on the floor.

Envy kicked him again. And that was the last thing he saw.

* * *

Roy stopped in his tracks. Alphonse dropped the vacuum. They looked at each other.

They began running at once, Roy's footsteps and Alphonse's armor echoing in the silence.

He stepped in front of the door. "Edward? Hughes?" Mustang yelled. He paused to hear a response.

But unfortunately, there was none.

Al tried the door handle, but it was locked.

Al rammed his shoulder against the door.

"Brother!"

The door broke open.

The bathroom was empty, the bath curtain was blowing softly from the breeze. The wall on the left had a dent as if someone had punched it. The part of the roof was broken and the rubble was still falling into the bath tub. The mirror was cracked, a smiley face drawn across it with toothpaste along with the signature "Envy."

"He can't have gone far!" Alphonse said as he fixed up the room with alchemy and ran out of the door.

"Wait Al, you don't even know where they went!" Roy stumbled after him, wearing his coat.

"They must be in one of the warehouses! I can't let them hurt my brother!" Alphonse began running straight out in the darkness.

"Slow down, Alphonse!" Roy yelled, locking the doors before he, too, began running. "We need to think of a strategy."

"No, we don't! By the time we think of a plan, it might already be too late. We don't even know what they're doing to him right now!"

Roy didn't protest. He knew Ed meant a lot for Alphonse. He understood that Al was worried about Ed and he was too. And since the transmutation, the two had grown very close.

"Alright Alphonse.

Roy Mustang chose to stay quit for the rest of the way. He knew he couldn't stop the thirteen-year-old boy running in front of him no matter what he said.

He just hoped they would get there in time.

* * *

The first thing Ed noticed when he opened his eyes were the throbbing of his head.

_I'm getting lot of headaches these days…_

He felt the cold floor under him. He looked around and there was a dim glow in the room. It seemed like he was in one of the warehouses. Stacks of boxes were around him, blocking part of his view.

He tried to sit up, only to fall right back down. Both of his automail were gone. He stared up at the sight in front of him. Where were the Homunculi? Was that guy –or whatever he was- named Father here?

Ed shivered. He wished he had his red coat on. Why did he have to be one of the sacrifices? Oh right, because he attempted human transmutation. He only wished Al wasn't part of the plan. Thinking back on the situation, he realized he had much more things to worry about then getting a little cold. If something happened to him, he would only slow down Alphonse. And he wouldn't afford to do that. He'd already caused him enough grief. Ed was actually surprised that Alphonse hadn't abandoned him after what I've done.

"Father, what are you planning to do?"

The voice of a familiar woman's voice brought Ed back to his senses. He turned sideways and slowly crawled towards the noise to hear better.

"Make him open the Gate again. Well, try at least." said another voice. The one Ed used t hear all the time years ago…

But it wasn't _him. _He knew that.

Wait…What did he say again?

_The Gate?_

Ed figured he had to get out of there quickly. If that bastard opened the Gate using him then there was no telling what he would lose.

He didn't care about the Homunculi. He didn't care about their diabolical plans. He had to find a way back to Roy's house. _Now._

But he was missing two of his automail. The chances of finding his automail, connecting them and getting out without being seen was zero.

But what else could he do? He began crawling.

A pair of bare legs appeared in front of his face. Ed looked up.

"You didn't think it would be that easy after all our effort, don't you pipsqueak?" Envy said to him. Ed could feel the happiness in his voice.

Envy kicked him on the side and the pain of his broken rib which Ed hadn't noticed due to his unconscious state came back.

His only arm gave out under him. He coughed some blood and fell on his side. He didn't move.

"Oh yes, Envy. Thanks for reminding me."

The man who resembled his father almost completely came before him. Lust stood at his side and Ed felt a weird sensation building up inside him. As if his father went with another woman.

But it wasn't him.

Markings appeared on the floor underneath Ed. He raised his head slightly to get a better view.

Human transmutation circle.

He sucked in breath.

"You…" he started yet adding words seemed impossible. "What are you planning to do?"

But the bastard was ignoring him.

"I cannot afford to lose an important sacrifice. You will not die. Oh yes and your automail…" he looked kind of confused, wondering if having or not having automail would affect the Truth. "I'll give them later." he finished.

The markings began to glow as Edward tried to crawl outside of the circle. Envy kicked his hand away, looking down on his while Ed glared in defeat. There was nothing he could do.

The eye appeared on the floor and the black hands came out much to Ed's fear. They grasped him and he slowly began disintegrating much to his efforts. Then there was darkness.

He opened his eyes and stared at the Gate that stood in the middle of a white empty nothingness. Ed fell on the floor, his automail missing.

_Why am I here again?_

"Are you here to retrieve your brother's body?"

Edward turned around facing the white silhouette with the right arm and left leg in flesh.

_His_ right arm and left leg.

The Truth.

"No…not yet." he replied. There wasn't anything he could give in exchange. Maybe his whole body along with his soul, but then he couldn't leave Alphonse alone.

"Why did you come here then? Did you attempt human transmutation?"

What was this guy talking about? He hadn't tried to resurrect anyone. And he never would again.

"I…I didn't…"

The Truth laughed. Then there's nothing I could show you. Come again, Edward Elric. I'll be waiting."

The door behind him opened as the Truth waved him goodbye. The black hands pulled Ed backwards but he didn't protest.

The door closed.

Edward opened his eyes.

Father, Envy and Lust stared at him with curious eyes. He just wished they would leave him alone.

"Seems like you haven't lost anything. I don't think you opened the Gate, did you?" the guy names Father asked.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you!" Edward spat out venomously. He stared at him with eyes that could kill. The markings disappeared.

"True son of Hohenheim alright…" the man muttered, walking away.

Envy grabbed him by his neck and hoisted him in the air. "We've been treating you with respect yet you continue being insolent. I-"

"That's enough, Envy. Give him back his automail."

Envy threw him on the floor, making Ed curl up.

"Humans…So pathetic…"

_At least…I'm getting out of here. I'm getting my automail back and they won't be annoying us for a while._

Ed sat up on a shaky arm only to fall back as his automail landed on his head. Blood trickled down his forehead. He ignored it, wiping it on his sleeve. He put his teeth together and picked up his arm. He took a deep breath and connected his arm.

_I don't want to do the leg…_

He picked up his leg.

But what was he going to do then?

"Brother! Brother, are you in here? Ed?" echoed in the darkness followed by a clanking of metal and familiar footsteps.

"Alphonse? I'm here!" he yelled.

The huge silhouette of an armor came before him. "Brother, is that you? Can you walk? Did they hurt you, are you okay?"

A snap of fingers and Mustang's face appeared in front of him. He had a makeshift torch in his hand.

"It's me. And I can if I connect my automail…"

"You can't do it in here." Roy said. "And you forehead's bleeding."

His left leg was picked up from his lap.

"This thing's so heavy, how do you carry it?" Roy asked.

"I'm used to it by now."

Al picked up Edward from the floor. "Where are they?"

"Somewhere in the back, they kinda lost interest a while ago."

The Homunculi were nowhere to be found and made no attempt to stop them as they left the warehouse.

"How did you find me?" Ed asked.

"We decided to check the warehouses one through twelve. Fortunately, you were in the second one."

Roy responded.

"What did they want brother? What did they do?"

Ed sighed. "They tried to make my open the Gate through human transmutation. But since there wasn't a person I was going to resurrect, the Truth guy sent me back. No payment, no information."

"At least you're okay."

When they got back, Alphonse laid his brother on the bed.

"Can I have my leg back?" Ed asked, sitting with his back on the wall

"Sure." Roy threw the automail towards Ed. It landed on his ribs as Ed held back a yelp. He bit his tongue and swallowed the metallic taste that appeared in his mouth.

Roy went to look for bandages as Ed connected his leg back with the help of Alphonse. He lay down, fire shooting up his leg.

His breath felt like it was going to constrict. His chest hurt as if he had a knife stuck inside him.

_You deserve this, _a voice said in his head. _This is nothing compared to the pain your brother feels. And it's your entire fault._

Roy came back with a medical kit, mumbling under his breath. "I need to bandage your head before you get all your blood of my mattress."

Roy pulled his arm, forcing Ed to sit up. Ed gave a yelp.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh…Humid air…"

Roy raised his eyebrows. "I'm not getting it."

"Whatever." Ed rolled his eyes.

"He means that humid air has a bad effect on automail and that it hurts." Al explained.

Ed shot him a glare.

"Oh…Sorry."

He didn't make a noise as Roy bandaged his head.

"You're burning." he told Ed.

"Doesn't matter." Ed replied. He got up and began changing with his back turned towards them. Usually he'd be embarrassed but he didn't care at the moment. The parts where his automail connected were hurting. He had a throbbing headache, an injury, and a half-burned shoulder. And if that wasn't enough, he's probably gotten a cold and his rib was poking at his insides.

Roy shot Al a glare who shrugged.

"What time is it?" Ed asked.

"Around eleven, I believe."

Ed entered the bed and pulled the covers up to his neck. He undid his braid and turned his back on Roy and Al who exchanged glances once again.

"Is something the matter, brother?" Al asked.

"No."

_He's probably exhausted,_ Roy thought as he also began changing. He turned off the lights, entered the third bed facing Ed and Al's and closed his eyes.

* * *

The next morning, Roy and Al couldn't get Ed out of bed no matter what they said.

Roy was the first one who tried. He leaned over the sleeping figure and shook him. Ed was mumbling something.

"Sorry…I'm sorry…Please forgive me…I'm sorry…"

Roy glanced at his face and shook him again. He had to wake him up from whatever guilt-filled nightmare he was having.

Ed opened his eyes.

"Come on Ed, it's time to get up."

"I don't want to."

"You want to miss breakfast?"

"I really don't care."

"Let me check your temperature."

"I'm fine. Don't touch me."

"Why did you take off the bandage on your burnt shoulder?"

"Because it doesn't hurt."

"What's wrong with you?"

"I'm tired, go away."

Roy walked up to Edward and pulled him up by his arm. Ed sat up but pulled his arm back immediately.

"Why don't you just leave me alone, Colonel?"

"You still have a temperature."

"Exactly. It'll pass if you just let me rest…"

"Don't give me that. You need to eat."

"But I don't want to!"

As they continued sparring, Al felt that he couldn't take it anymore.

"Ed, your automail has gotten worse, hasn't it?" he asked.

Edward turned towards his brother and blinked a little too innocently. "What do you mean, Al?"

"It's bothering you more than yesterday."

"No, it's still the same. Why would you say that?"

Alphonse lifted Ed off the bed roughly, forcing him to stand up. Edward swayed and fell to his knees almost immediately.

"Al, I said I was tired!"

"See, you can't even stand because it hurts!"

Now it was Roy's turn to watch them fight.

"It's the usual pain, Al!"

"No, it isn't!"

"How would you know?"

"Because I'm your brother!"

Ed sighed as he began to get up from the floor.

"So are you agreeing now?" Alphonse asked.

Ed felt the familiar pain in his chest as he fell back to his knees. He bowed his head and squeezed his eyes.

_No, not now. Please…_

"I never said-"

But he was unable to contain the pain anymore.

He knelt over and began coughing.

"Edward?" Mustang asked. "Are you feeling alright?"

Then the warm red liquid began falling on the ground.

"Brother..?" Al whispered.

Ed was just too preoccupied to answer. Without raising his head, his flesh hand reached out to the drawer beside his bed and pulled a napkin. A twinge of pain ran through his arm and leg as he slightly moved. He opened his eyes and saw the little puddle of blood in front of him.

_Damn it._

"That is it." Roy said sternly, staring at his now-fourteen-year-old subordinate in front of him. The napkin turned slightly red as Ed continued coughing blood. "We're going to a hospital right now."

Ed removed the napkin from his mouth.

"I don't want to go back again." He coughed again. "It will pass, just hold on."

"Colonel's right, brother." Al added.

"You're coughing _blood_, Ed. Do you know what that means?"

"But-"

"I'm ordering you to come with me to the hospital. Right now, Fullmetal. And no objections."

* * *

A/N: Ohh yeah! Did you like Roy in the end? xD I hope you loved this chapter. The sparring was so fun to write. Also the affair with the Homunculi made not much sense whatsoever. But yeah.

Tell me what you liked, didn't like. If there was something that didn't make sense or you didn't understand then PM me or leave it in your review and I'll explain.

The attacker will make an appearance soon. Not just an appearance though…It's bigger than that…MWAAHAHHAAHAAAHAHAHA! Abusing characters are so fun!

THANKS FOR READING! PLEASE REVIEW! I LOVE YOU! AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME! ;D


	7. The Calm Before The Storm?

A/N: Woohoo! Hello! Thanks for all the reviews... So uhh… we're getting closer to the climax and stuff…. And uhh… poor Ed, he's sick and all. Homunculi won't make another appearance again. So I hope you said your goodbyes… Let's see… This chapter isn't filler but there isn't action happening… It's just parentellness. Even though it's a bit hidden. xD

StellatheAlchemist : I write the chapters first in my notebook and then I type it up. So since you wanted me to suffer Al, I (kinda.) did. I added that part in that wasn't there when I first wrote it. Just a tiny little bit. I don't even think it worked the way I wanted but still… I tried…

-Actually now that I look back at it, it looks more like angst instead of suffering. I guess my attempt failed. X( But at least there is Parental!RoyxAl, right? Usually people never do that since…Al has Ed to lean on. And Ed doesn't have anyone to lean on and that's why we have Roy, right? Yeah, anyways I should stop babbling.

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 7

The Calm Before The Storm?

"Edward Elric?" called the nurse holding up a file in her hand. She had short brown hair and smiled brightly as Ed stood up. She beckoned him to the room.

_I wish nurses wouldn't smile. It's creeping me out._

Roy stared at him, arms and legs crossed. "Hurry up."

Alphonse was about to follow only to be stopped by Ed.

"Just wait here." He said annoyed.

Ed walked inside the room with quick steps. The nurse gave Roy and Al another smile and shut the door.

The doctor was also a female with black hair tied as a ponytail. She had black rimmed glasses and was wearing a dark blue miniskirt.

"Please sit down." She told him to sit on a stretcher.

"Hello Mr…" She looked at the file in her hand. "Elric. My name is Katie. Would you remove your jacket and shirt for me please?"

Ed removed them without protest. He noticed an ugly blue bruise on the right side of his chest. He crossed his arms in an attempt to hide it.

"Do you have a headache?"

"Yes…"

"Stomach ache?" She said as she touched his cheek. Ed's forehead was bandaged so she had to check his temperature somewhere else.

"No."

"Seems like you've got the flu. It is normal. We're in the middle of the flu season. You have two prosthetic limbs and your brother's telling me you're not comfortable with them." She raised her eyebrows, questioning him. Ed shifted uncomfortably.

"It's been two years since I've got them. It's normal for them to hurt sometimes…" he murmured.

The nurse came beside him and grabbed him and grabbed his automail arm. She raised it slightly and put pressure where the automail connected. Ed gave a hiss of pain. She released it and did the same for the leg. Ed winced.

"It shouldn't hurt this much though. Linda removed his arm."

"Wha-what?" But the nurse already disconnected it. She held it out for Dr. Katie to see. "This automail is really a masterpiece, I haven't seen anything like it. Though you see, it's moist. More than usual. That's the reason it's hurting. When you go back home, dry your automail. She put his arm next to him. "Now for this…" Her nicely manicured-fingers pulled Ed's arms away. She pointed at the blue little bulge on his chest."Broken rib? What kind of trouble have you been getting yourself into, young man?"

Ed didn't respond. He just suspiciously stared at the nurse waiting at his side with a needle in her hand.

"Lay down. My assistant here will give you a medicine that helps fix broken bones. It will stop internal bleeding too. That's all I can do. Would you like for me to prescribe a medicine for the pain?"

"No thanks." Edward lay down on the stretcher.

"Don't move please." The nurse smiled sweetly once again as she poked the needle in his chest.

"There, all done. You can sit back up. Don't exert yourself and don't move a lot. Rest. Now I'll check your weight." Katie said.

Edward didn't really pay attention to the scale till she mentioned the automail again.

"This is pretty heavy. How come you got it at such a young age?"

"Uhh…It was an accident…"

"I see. Now for your height."

Ed scowled as he got up, clearly not liking this.

After Dr. Katie signed off Ed's height on the paper, she turned back to him. "Rest, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and stay warm."

"Sure….You…You're not going to tell them about my height, are you?"

Katie chuckled. "Sensitive?"

Ed reddened.

"Alright, I won't tell them about my height if you don't want me to."

The doctor exited the room, leaving Ed with the nurse.

* * *

"What's wrong, Alphonse?"

Roy examined the boy sitting next to him, awfully quiet, as he watched him fidget non-stop.

"It's just that I…"

"It's okay, you can tell me."

Al began to shake. "I doubt myself sometimes…wondering if I'm even real. I mean I can think and use alchemy and speak but… But I can't feel, eat, drink, or sleep. I feel like some sort of machine…programmed to be like this."

Roy nodded. He wondered what it would be like if he was empty. Just a soul…not able to feel…laugh…cry…

"But then I feel so guilty. I see Ed every single day, and he's trying to bring me back to my body… He gave up his arm in order to save me and he was conscious the whole time. He was bleeding all over when I woke and he still feels guilty. It worries me so much when I see him sometimes and he gets injured and he throws himself head-first into trouble just so I could be whole again. I mean I get injured too. My armor gets scratched or cut in few places but it's not like I can feel anything. But he does…"

Al put his head between his hands. "And he tries to hide things from me… When he's injured, he pretends that he's not hurt. You saw him now, didn't you? He began coughing blood. He's trying to hide it from me but I don't like it. It worries me. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Ed hadn't brought me back. I would die and he would go on with his life without losing an arm and without all this pain…"

Roy put a hand on Al's shoulder. "Woah, woah, woah! Alphonse, you know that Ed feels guilty about what happened to you, right?"

"Ye-yes…"

"What makes you think he'll be fine if he let you die and failed at bringing you back? Do you think he would be able to go on with his life when he thought he killed you?"

Al raised his head, surprised. "I…I…Yeah but…I don't want him to get injured because of me. It's not his fault, it's mine too. We attempted it together and I just lost more than him. It's just not fair he has to go through all this. I do want to get my body back, but I don't want him to hurt like this. And he thinks I have it worse, and that if hurts me when I can't eat, feel, or sleep. But it doesn't. Not that much at least. I look at him and remember the automail surgery he went through. And I remember those nights he tried to stay up so that I wouldn't be alone…"

"Ed wouldn't want you to think like that Al. You're not a burden to him and he doesn't blame you for what happened. Your relationship with him is strong so you shouldn't be thinking that way. Maybe one day, you guys should just talk for a long time and settle things, alright?"

"Right…"

They sat in silence for the rest of the time.

Roy raised his head as the pretty doctor wearing a skirt came towards them with a paper in her hand.

_That's how I want the military uniform skirts. A bit shorter though._

"For Mr. Elric?" she asked.

"Yes…" Alphonse stood up.

"He's got the flu. His automail is moist so it needs to be dried. Also, he's got a broken rib. We gave him some medicine but that's all we can do. Broken ribs heal themselves and all we can do is making the process faster. And…"

She glanced at the file in her hand.

"He's slightly underweight. Just slightly. I mean he does have impressive muscles for someone his age but he just needs to eat more. And the automail he got at young age must have stunted his vertical development. That's why he's short I assume."

Roy thought back on the night they came back from the warehouse. He had thrown the automail on his ribs. And he hadn't even given a reaction.

He bit his lip.

"By the way, I haven't told him the last two things I've told you. Does he get enough rest?"

Roy turned to Alphonse. "Well, I think so."

"Let him rest a bit more. If he stays in bed for a while and doesn't exert himself then he'll be fine."

"Thank you, doctor." Alphonse said as he went to his brother who had come out of the room.

"Are you his father?" Katie asked Roy.

"Huh, what? Oh, no…just his officer…"

Roy stood up, following after Al, and Ed who wore his red jacket. "I told you that it wasn't anything serious yet you-"

"You had a broken rib!" Al yelled.

"It's not like they could put it in a cast!"

"Still, you were coughing blood!"

"It could have repaired itself!"

"The doctor said-"

"I don't care what that woman said!"

Roy sighed. Over all the responsibility and the guilt the kid carried, he was still managing to hide his pain just like Al said. He could see Ed slightly limping and his breathing was shallow. Yet he kept sparring with his brother as if there was nothing wrong with him.

* * *

"So when did you break your rib?" Roy asked as he watched Ed dry his leg with a towel on the sofa.

"Envy did when he knocked me out." Edward mumbled. He put his leg aside as Ed removed his arm.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Ed gave him a glance. "It's nothing important and it's not like you can do anything about it. The doctor didn't do anything either."

_Yeah right. You just want to hide the fact that you're feeling pain from your brother. Because he can't, right?_

"Colonel, would you help me put on brother's automail?"

_How do you do that?_

He stared at the complicated machinery, confused and twisted his lip.

_Fullmetal's not against it…surprisingly._

"I'm not sure if I can do it correctly…"

"You just push it in…"

Edward stared at the ceiling as Al and Roy placed the automail into position.

"One." Ed nervously glanced at the Colonel just before returning his gaze at the ceiling.

"Two."

He clutched the bed sheet.

"Three."

He snapped his mouth and eyes shut just before the nerves connected with the automail. His body was on fire.

"Damn, I'll never get used to this." Edward wiggled his fingers. "Thanks…Let me help prepare lunch."

"No, you need to rest." Was the response he got from Roy. He looked away, ignoring Ed's angry eyes.

"What's wrong with you?"

"That's what the doctor said, it's not me."

"You-" Ed sat up, holding his chest.

"Just lay down." He pushed Ed back on the sofa and pulled the blankets on top of him. He smirked and walked towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Al?"

"Yes brother?" Alphonse turned to find Ed shivering.

"Can you get me another blanket? It's kinda cold."

"Sure."

Edward watched his superior officer dial someone. Probably his girlfriend.

"Uh, hello? Yes, I would like to order pizza. Just plain cheese. No olives, no peppers. Garlic bread? No, thanks. Alright. Yes, yes. If you tell him Roy called, he'll know where to come. Yeah. Thanks. Goodbye."

"You like pizza?"

"Sure." Ed replied, eyes on the books on the shelf.

"Colonel?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I'll be able to do Flame Alchemy if you lend me your gloves?"

_Oh my God! He actually swallowed his pride and asked me! I can't believe it!_

"Sure, - wait why do you have two blankets?"

Ed pulled his covers up to his chin as if he was scared of them being taken away. He shivered.

"Your house is unnaturally cold. Kinda matches your personality."

Roy ignored the little insult. Instead, he walked towards Ed. "You idiot."

Without warning, he pulled away both the blankets from Edward, leaving his subordinate shivering.

"What really is wrong with you?"

Roy touched his cheek. Ed backed up.

"It's because you have a high temperature. Do you want your situation to worsen?"

Ed crossed his arms, still shivering. "I don't care."

He looked away.

"Fine, then you-"

There was a knock on the door. "Colonel, it's the pizza."

"Oh yes, hold on."

Roy walked towards the door, grabbing his wallet.

Ed went to the bathroom. He was feeling sick in his stomach. He knelt over the sick, ignoring the pain in his chest while emptying all he ate down the drain. He took some antibiotics and swallowed them. Then he went back to the sofa. Ed snatched the blankets that Roy had taken from him. He lay down, pulling the blankets over his head. And he closed his head.

"Thanks. Goodbye." Roy closed the door, sighing in relief. What a talkative person that guy was! The pizza must have gotten cold from all that talking. He slowly sat the pizza on the counter. Then he took out two cups and orange juice from the refrigerator. He was about to begin pouring but Al stopped him.

"Uhh…Colonel?" Alphonse pointed at the lump on the sofa.

"Fullmetal, I leave you alone for a second and you manage to fall asleep."

No response.

"Hey, Edward?"

Roy slowly pushed the blankets slightly. Ed had his pale face buried in the pillows, his breathing constricted. His bangs were falling over the bandage on his head.

He pushed away his hair to look at his face.

Damn, the kid really was burning.

"Leave me alone…" he mumbled, turning his back towards them.

"But brother, you need to eat. Or you'll never get better."

"I can't…" Ed replied, pulling the covers back to his head.

"You're not going to get any better like this. Get up, that's an order."

Ed opened his eyes slightly but closed them back.

"You need to drink something warm, shorty."

"You…you've been telling me to rest…. Go away…"

"I never said you shouldn't eat anything. I'm ordering you to get up Edward."

But again, he was ignored. Alphonse poked at Ed but he didn't budge. He whined as Al's fingers came in contact with his ribs and forehead.

"Just let him be, Al. He'll be better tomorrow. I highly doubt he'll eat anything even if he managed to get up."

"Alright."

That night, Roy also slept on a sofa, afraid that Ed would wake up if Al moved him.

* * *

"So how are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"Fine enough to eat?"

Roy observed his subordinate sitting up on the couch with a blanket draped over his shoulder. His temperature had gone down but he was still shivering. His braid was undone. And he hadn't moved an inch. The doctor had told them that Ed was slightly underweight and the kid had refused to eat again.

Well, Roy had to try.

"I made some soup. And Alphonse made salad. You can't be weak when that guy appears." He looked at Ed but he seemed to be observing the floor.

"Colonel?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

There it went again. Why was Ed apologizing?

"Umm…What for?"

He coughed. "For putting you through so much trouble. You had to sleep on the couch and took me to the doctor."

"Well, it's my job."

"No, it's just that I can make my own food. You're supposed to act like my guard or officer. Not like our…Never mind. (1)"

What was Ed about to say? He stared, examining his face, looking at any signs. But Ed took them all and threw it all back at him.

He smiled. Once again, hiding all his thoughts and emotions behind that mask…

"I might as well try to eat at least. Did you eat?" he said, sitting on the table and picking up the spoon.

"Hours ago… It's four in the afternoon, you know?"

"You never got this sick before, brother. Except for that one time…" Al said, setting the salad in front of Ed.

"Don't remind me that again. But you see, now I'm kicking and ready to go!" he retorted.

"There is milk in the soup, Fullmetal."

Roy chuckled.

_Wait for it… Wait for it…_

Ed didn't freak out. Roy's face fell.

"It's great. I only don't like milk raw. But it's good when it's in another food." He replied as he finished the soup and the salad.

He stretched but bent down holding his chest.

"I feel so much better now! A little flu can't defeat Edward Elric!"

_A little flu?_

"Anyways, so where are those gloves of yours?"

Roy glanced up from his newspaper. "There's one in the cupboard."

The face expression on Edward worth seeing.

"What?"

"I always keep a spare here and there. The trouble doesn't say 'I'm coming.' Who knows what could happen..?"

Edward looked at the transmutation circle in front of the circle just before slipping it onto his left hand. He couldn't snap with his automail hand.

"So we raise the density of the concentration of the oxygen in the air right after we snap, right?"

Roy glanced up, dumbstruck. "How did you know?"

Ed smiled. "Really? I was just guessing."

"Good guess. Don't do it so much though. Adjust it correctly. I don't want my house being burned to the ground."

Edward walked towards the oven. He held his hand out and snapped. There was a red spark as the oven began burning.

"That was pretty easy. Wanna try, Al?"

"Maybe later, I'm reading right now."

Ed placed the gloves back into the cupboard and sat back on the couch.

"Great, you got it on your first try." Roy said with enthusiasm, yet his face was hidden behind the newspaper. Edward was a prodigy after all.

"Well, I did figure out what to do." Ed replied.

There was a crash from the window as shards flew out in random directions. Ed and Roy braced themselves. Few of the pieces of glass landed on Alphonse with a big thud. A glass cut Roy's arm slightly.

A rock wrapped in paper lay on the middle of the room. Roy was the first to run and grab the rock. He slowly unwrapped it as Al and Ed looked from behind him.

"I'll be here very soon. Watch out, Fullmetal Alchemist."

They looked at each other in silence as the words sank in.

* * *

(1) Ed had been about to stay "You're supposed to act like my guard or officer. Not like our father." Hehee xD

Also, the Flame Alchemy thing I wrote, I found out from Google.

* * *

A/N: Eheheheeeee...I just had to leave it like that. So we're almost coming to an end. There are only uhh…four chapters left. Next chapter will be sadistic. And by sadistic, I mean really… I don't know what came to me. xD

Tell me what you liked or didn't like.

Please review, I'd really appreciate.

AND THANKS A LOT FOR READING! ;D


	8. Mortal Peril

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews people! Uh…. I have a feeling your either going to hate this chapter…or love it. I hope you like it. :D But it's totally crazy..this chapter…

I've seen lot of fanfics and wrote some myself where uh…I don't know…Ed gets kidnapped and Roy goes and saves him… But in this one I've decided to take a different twist. Now if you don't like it, tell me in your review. There's plenty of Ed-abuse in this chapter. But it was necessary…for the upcoming chapter. The next chapter will be legend. LEGEND I TELL YOU!

* * *

StellatheAlchemist : I got distracted because my sister was watching cartoons on tv. I meant to write "He closed his eyes." -.-

elysenjazz : I haven't even thought of that till you mentioned it. You don't know how right you are! Well I guess it's a bit late now… x(

XileSister : He turned fourteen on Chapter 5.

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-So read. I'll see you at the end. ;D

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 8

Mortal Peril

"We have to go somewhere else. Like headquarters." Roy said, running to the phone. Ed fixed the broken window as Roy dialed a number.

"This is Colonel Roy Mustang speaking. Put me through. Lieutenant, it's me. We got a note from the attacker. Leave whatever you're doing and come here. Take Havoc with you. Yes, that's right. He has to be close. I know, I'll be careful. Yes. He's fine. They're both fine. Just hurry up. Alright, see you."

Ed looked through the peep hole. "No one in sight."

"Back away from the door, you idiot!" Roy yelled, slamming down the receiver.

"Okay, okay…Calm down." Ed grabbed a slice of pizza and began eating.

"He might be watching us." Al added.

Roy slight opened the door, looked outside and turned around. Just when he closed it, a foot interrupted, leaving the door open.

Roy froze as the black masked man appeared behind him, holding a dagger to his throat.

"I was waiting for that…"

Ed dropped the pizza on the floor. They had dropped their guard down.

"I said I was going to see you soon, Edward Elric. _Very soon._ I'm sure you've already figured what I'll say." spoke the rough voice, chilling him to his bones once again. "You come with me and I don't harm him. I'm sure you wouldn't want my hand slipping." He gestured the dagger.

Roy saw something flicker in Ed's eyes. Doubt?

It disappeared as fast as it came. He tried to signal him to run away but Ed wasn't even looking at him.

"Let go of him. It's me you want."

"Exactly. Good thing you understand. Take off your arm."

Edward slowly brought his left hand up his automail arm.

"What the hell are you doing?" Roy yelled.

This was not going to happen. No, it wouldn't.

Ed threw his right arm at the guy's feet, his expression never changing.

"Edward!" he tried again.

Again, his subordinate didn't seem to realize he was there.

"Brother-"

"No, Al! I can't afford people getting hurt because of me. I can't stand it." He spoke in a stern voice.

"Good, good. Now come here."

Ed took a step forward. Then another one. His platform boots echoed on the floor and everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.

"EDWARD! Stop this now! Listen to me!"

The knife inched closer to Roy's throat. He shuddered. How had Ed managed to maintain his calm when this guy had sliced his neck?

No no no. Ed was standing in front of him now.

"Turn around."

Ed did what he was told without hesitation. The attacker took out a needle with his free hand.

"No!"

Edward didn't react. The needle plunged into his shoulder as he gave a hiss of pain.

And then he fell on the floor motionlessly.

He didn't move.

"Fullmetal!"

"Brother!"

There was suddenly a bright flash of light. A boulder hit Al in the midsection. He fell backwards into the house.

Alchemy?

"You wouldn't want to be separated from him now, would you?"

The man struck Roy on the back of his head and dropped the dagger on the floor. Then he threw Roy over his shoulder, tucked Ed under his arm and picked up the metal arm with his free hand. After taking one last look at the house, he ran, disappearing in the streets of East City.

* * *

Alphonse slowly managed to get the stone out of his chest.

_Brother!_

He stood up and ran outside. A dagger and an empty needle lay on the ground. There was no one in sight.

_No….Brother….Colonel…_

Alphonse tried to remain calm. He had to think straight. That guy couldn't have gone far carrying two people, could he?

"Alphonse!"

Al whipped around. Lieutenant Hawkeye and Havoc were running towards him. "What happened?"

"He…he…brother…and Colonel…"

Hawkeye put a reassuring hand on Al's shoulder while Havoc looked around.

"Calm down, Al. Tell us what happened."

"C-Colonel was looking outside and…and then the attacker popped out and held him hostage so Ed would come with him. And Ed obeyed him, so the attacker knocked him out. There was a flash of light and…and I think the attacker knew alchemy because a boulder hit me and when I managed to come out here…they were both gone! What if that freak kills them both? I was just here and I couldn't even do anything to prevent it! I'm so worried. We have to find them!"

Havoc froze as he examined the needle on the floor. Hawkeye nodded her head.

"We'll contact the rest of the unit. There's no need to worry Al, we'll find them. I told that idiot to be careful. He's so going to get the talk once this is over."

* * *

"Hey Fullmetal?" Roy tried. It had been only a few minutes since he'd woken up. He was bound tightly to a chair and Ed was in the same position a few meters in front of him. Except he had a blindfold over his eyes.

The room was gloomy and dark yet Roy could still make out everything. Edward's right arm was, of course, missing. His hair was messy and his chin rested on his chest.

It looked like a room. They were most likely in the attacker's house. It was pretty cold and Ed's fever wasn't really helping. He was shivering.

A little light peeked from under the door in the far right. Roy wriggled his arms and feet. The rope was course and cut his wrists.

Roy began examining the room. It was actually pretty vacant. Other than the two chairs they were sitting on, there was a sofa facing them both and a photograph on the wall.

It was a young man in his mid-twenties. He had medium-length blond hair and brown eyes. The kid was wearing a military uniform. He had some of Ed's features, Roy realized.

But Roy had seen that face before. It was in the records he'd seen a few years ago. Scott Ryson had died shortly after he became a State Alchemist. He was promoted after being killed in the line of duty, but that was it. Perhaps, that was how everything was connected.

"Edward?" Roy asked again, this time a bit louder.

Edward slowly raised his head.

"You awake?"

"Colonel? He said he was going to…" he slurred in the end as his head began falling back to his chest.

"Ed, wake up!"

It looked like the anesthesia was still in his system.

"Huh?" Ed raised his head again. "Why is it so dark?"

"You're blindfolded. I'm not. We're tied up. And I think we're at his house."

"Oh…" Ed replied. "It hurts…" he mumbled.

It was weird. Edward would never admit to pain. He would actually do quite the opposite, hiding it. But since Edward was in a drugged-mode, Roy decided he'd just take advantage of him.

"Where?"

"My head…my chest…I think my wrist is cut. This place is so damn cold…" he shivered.

"Okay, Fullmetal. You need to be awake as possible."

He could see Ed's head swaying. "I'll try.."

The door to the room was swept open. Edward raised his head to the noise and Roy turned his head.

The man walked inside. Except this time, he wasn't wearing a mask. He had blond hair and brown eyes.

So he was the father of Scott Ryson. He walked in without saying a word and sat on the couch.

"You bastard, you said you were going to let him go." Ed said, his mouth twisted into a scowl.

"I said I wasn't going to harm him. If I left him back there, he'd just be a pain in the ass. He'd find a way to come after me. Also, you wouldn't want to die alone, would you? So might as well…"

"Why do you want to kill him?" Roy asked. "What the hell's your problem? Do you want revenge against the military? Or are you just insane?"

Scott's father had a thoughtful look on his face. "Perhaps."

He swept part of the drape open so that some of the light was coming in.

"I'm just a bit angry." He began. "It happened two years ago." He gestured the photograph. "My son, Scott, really wanted to be a State Alchemist. He studied for years. He practiced every single day. And he slowly swept away from his family. Then his mother died of an illness. Scott came to her funeral but disappeared right after it. Then finally he got his certificate…" He sighed. "His first mission was investigating a serial killer case. And he got killed by the serial killer. It was his first mission and he died! He had studied so much but it all went down the drain. Hours of studying and staying away from his family…Was this really equivalent exchange?" The man took out a dagger from his pocket and began playing with it. "But you, Fullmetal Alchemist, got his certificate at the age of twelve. You didn't have to study. I saw your brother's body. You two committed the taboo and you're still alive. What's worse is that the military let's a kid who committed the unforgivable sin became a State Alchemist. And you managed to stay alive. My son should have been better than you. Then why?"

A sigh came from Edward. Both eyes turned to him.

"Survival of the fittest." Ed said, quoting the Briggs motto.

_Shit. Does he even know what he just said?_

The man stood up, full of rage. Ryson sprang up from where he was sitting. He put his hand around Ed's windpipe and began squeezing.

"Let's see you survive your way through this!"

"Stop it!" Roy yelled. Ed had gone pale. "Edward!"

Ryson let go, leaving Ed to cough as he tried to get air into his lungs.

"I hate the fact that you look a lot like him. I can't stand it. Your hair, your features… The only thing that doesn't match is your age. And those golden eyes….I can't bear to see them…"

Well, that explained the blindfold.

Ed scowled even more – if it was possible.

The attacker backhanded him, leaving bleeding gashed on his cheek.

Ed didn't make a noise.

"You want to kill me because your son got killed by a serial killer? What the hell did I do?"

"Because you're a kid. Because everyone thinks you're the best. Because you committed the taboo and became a State Alchemist. And because you look a lot like him!"

Ed shook his head, blood dripping from the side of his face.

"I don't really understand. Your son is the one who had goals. I have my own. Maybe he left because he had a father like you!"

Roy wanted to tell Ed to shut it. If he talked a bit more, then things were sure to get messy. The anger scale of Ryson was close to the top and Edward was just making it worse.

"Shut up brat! You don't know how much it hurts to have your son leave you and die off alone somewhere!"

Edward seemed to be totally awake now. "You know." He started quietly. "My father abandoned us when I was five." He sighed. "Was the serial killer caught?"

"Right after Scott found him and died. He was executed."

Ed smiled.

_Uh oh…_

"I'm sure he must have been happy since he reached his goal. He became a State Alchemist like he wanted and caught a murderer. Even at his dying moments, he must have been happy he succeeded. I wouldn't mind dying after I succeeded…"

Roy recalled Ed's words from before.

"_And that is why I'll never stop at getting his body back. Even if I end up dead in the end."_

But surely Scott's father was thickheaded. That, or insane.

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! You don't know my son! You don't know a thing about him. YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"

Roy didn't want to watch but he couldn't take his eyes off.

Ryson punched Ed and it hit Ed's broken rib as blood tricked from the side of his mouth.

"Seems like you've got an injury here!" he rammed his fist onto Ed's chest and Ed let out a whimper of pain. He was sure to have a bunch of bruises on his neck, arm and chest.

"Stop it!" Roy didn't want to see his youngest subordinate like this.

"I'm fine, Colonel." Ed muttered.

"Fine?" The man asked. He reached towards the back of the room and picked up something Roy hadn't noticed before.

Ed's automail arm.

_Oh no…_

"You're a tough guy, aren't you? Though, I've heard that connecting automail is very painful."

He held the arm in position and connected it. Edward jerked slightly but his mouth was clenched shut.

"Are you really fine?"

Ryson disconnected it and connected it again. Ed couldn't hold himself back from letting a whimper this time.

After multiple times, blood ran down the ports of Ed's shoulder.

"Don't! He's bleeding!"

Another connection. Ed screamed.

"Leave him alone! You can do what you want to me!" Roy yelled. He couldn't stand watching this torture any longer.

"Aww, come on. A promise is a promise, right? I said I won't harm you if he came with me."

"Yeah," Ed said. "Stay out of this."

"I'm your guard. If you die then you know what will happen to me?"

"You're also…my superior officer." Ed muttered.

The first time they had come to Roy's house, Ed had told him to act like his guard.

And now…

One last connection left Edward letting out a strangled scream. Then his head swayed and he fainted.

Ryson removed the automail arm, throwing it at the corner of the room.

He threw a glance at Roy. He had taken out his anger out of Ed and seemed to have calmed down a little.

Finally satisfied, he began walking towards the door.

"It's almost time…" he muttered and locked the door with a thud, leaving the room in total silence once again.

* * *

"I managed to talk to a few people who saw someone carrying a guy from the military and a blond kid in a red coat." Maes Hughes explained. "Though, I'm not sure where he went yet."

Havoc came in, carrying a file in his hand.

"James Ryson. His son was a State Alchemist who was killed in the line of duty. He was a possibility and now everything points to him. I also talked to his brother. He says that Ryson never got over his son's death and that he kept saying Ed looked a lot like him. All that's left is finding the address. If we can do it in time that is."

"Leave it to me." Fuery said.

Hawkeye put bullets in her gun. "I hope they're okay."

They looked at each other, uneasiness creeping on them as they thought about what was happening to the two.

* * *

A/N: Woowww, that was crayzey! If I had read this in someone else's fic, I'd definitely review something like "overflow of information" xD I'm sure you were expecting that speech from the bad guy. And the last name, I don't even know where it came from? Ryson? Like seriously? I was lying on my bed, thinking "Huh, what about Smith? Nahh. Or what about…" And then I came up with something stupid. But whatever.

I can't believe I did that to Ed. But just to let you know, if he was a real character in real life, I would definitely not take pleasure in watching that. Erghh. But I like it when he isn't real. MWAHAHAHAHHA.

So…the next chapter will be the BEST CHAPTER I HAVE WRITTEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! (no kidding) I spent like…4 hours or something. Ed and Roy are gonna taaaaaaaaaaaaaalkkkkkkk… A LOT. I'm proud of it! Well tune in and don't miss it!

REVIEW AND THANKS FOR READING! I'm expecting feedback people! You should at least review to thank me for updating quickly. SERIOUSLY. ;D


	9. Apology

A/N: The demon in my head said "Why are you updating so early?" And I say "Because I don't want my readers to get bored from waiting." And the demon says "Well, other authors make you wait, wouldn't you get more reviews, favorites and follows if you waited a little longer?" And I just say "Shut the hell up." And block the demon out. ;D

Thanks a lot for the reviews guys! I never thought I'd get all positive feedback!

-NOW! This is the chapter I've spent HOURS on! According to me, it's the best chapter I've written in my entire life. And it also is my favorite. I'm about 99.9999998% sure you're going to love it. I ACTUALLY CRIED WRITING IT! (Yes. Sentimental person here.) It's all angsty and parental! I have seen lot of ParentalRoyEd fics but nothing like this. The talking is LOOONG and I thought you might be BORED. BUT…BUT it was necessary. I really wanted Roy to…know. So you'll read…and see!

Guest 1: I don't like people getting real life because they're REAL! I mean I hate to admit it but Ed isn't real you know. I wouldn't laugh if some guy I don't know fell down the stairs and broke his leg and screamed in agony. Because that's like…not human. It's like Kimblee. Blowing up people is fun! But they're actually dying! How is that funny?

unknown chibi: I'm sorry, I can't. The first time Ed and Al met Greed was when they went to visit their teacher. But they didn't…yet. So I just can't bring them in without messing up the plot and turning it confusing.

Guest 2: I guess Ryson was a super-ninja from the beginning. And since Scott left the family I guess Ryson just didn't have the chance. Plus Scott got killed afterwards.

Roy-Mustang's-Girl: Yeah but it's going to be very little. She's going to make a cameo…-doesn't want to give so much away- And yes I know, I knew that I should have made the ending longer but I just didn't know what to write… -.-

WITHOUT ANY MORE OF THIS LONG AUTHOR'S NOTE, I COMMAND YOU TO…

ENJOY!

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Chapter 9

Apology

"Damn…" Ed took a deep breath. The first thing he noticed was that every part of his body was hurting. The room was still cold as ever and he was shivering. If only he could go to sleep and pretend this never happened.

But then again, he had to get out of there. How was the question. He didn't have his right arm and he felt very tired. The injuries were causing him pain. But he could take them. As long as it didn't stop him from fighting.

Now was he alone? He had to concentrate and clear his head but his head hurt too much. But he had to. How would he be able to get Al's body back if he died? He tried to move. There was a sharp sting at his wrist again.

Something warm...Blood? Had he opened the wound again?

Wasn't there someone supposed to be with him right now?

He lifted his head, fully awake.

"Colonel?" he whispered.

"Hello Fullmetal. Did you have a nice nap?"

"You could say that."

"Why did you piss him off? He beat the shit out of you!"

Ed scowled. "I don't know, it just kinda happened."

He didn't feel like giving his superior a piece of his mind when they were in a situation like this.

"The Fuhrer is going to demote me when he hears about this! How am I supposed to take his place and get my miniskirt army if I get demoted?" Colonel Roy Mustang rambled.

_What?_

Ed shook his head. Had he heard correctly? Either the Colonel had gone mad or Ed had.

"He's planning on killing me soon." Ed spoke slowly. "My right arm isn't there and I can't scratch anything on the wood. Neither can you. You don't have your gloves either. The other way to escape is to break free of these ropes. And they're too tight. We could wait for help. But I don't know how long we've been here. It should take them a while to find this place if they could. And who knows what could happen until then. I might even…end up dead."

Roy listened to Ed's words in silence. It was completely true what he said and they couldn't change it. Ed hadn't lost hope, Roy could tell that from his voice. He was just clarifying the situation they were in.

"Don't say that." He mumbled after a while.

"Colonel…If I…If I die in here, can you tell Al-"

"Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah! Hold it right there! I'm not going to tell him anything. You're going to tell him."

Ed nodded. "Yes, yes, of course. But now, we have to look at the possibilities. If I do die, then tell him "_Don't let anything stop you from looking for the Stone. I'm sorry I couldn't fix you after all I've done. I'm sure you'll get your real body back someday. I guess I just won't be there to see it. Please forgive me, Al._" That's all. So if something happens to me, you tell him that. Got it?"

Roy felt as if boiling hot water was dumped over his head.

How-when had he ever seen Ed talk deep like that. They were words that a fifteen-year-old shouldn't speak. But of course, Edward was an adult in a child's body. No one could blame him after all the things he went through.

"Well?" Ed asked when Roy didn't give a respond.

"That was the most pessimistic speech I've heard in my whole life. You almost made me believe you were actually dying. How did you even learn to talk like that? It's unfitting to your mouth. Don't do it again, Fullmetal."

"Shut up. You're the only one I could trust at the moment."

_Of course…_

"Talk with some respect to your superior."

"That won't matter if I'm dead."

"Stop it, Ed. Nothing's clear yet."

A sigh came from Edward. "I have a really bad feeling. Sixth sense, you know?"

If Ed died, what would Al do? Edward was an older brother to Alphonse but played a greater role since their parents were gone. He had acted as Al's guardian for these four years and comforted him no matter what happened. Would Al cope without him? Roy wasn't so sure. All they had were each other.

But…There hadn't been anyone to guard and comfort Ed. Roy himself had come in and given an eleven-year-old a chance to join the military. He had talked without any sympathy to a kid who had just lost a mother a second time, a brother and his arm and leg.

And why had he helped Ed join the military?

Was it really because he wanted to help them? Or had he just manipulated them to earn a better rank for himself?

Roy shook his head. Taking advantage of an eleven-year-old cripple. Now that he thought about it, it was despicable.

But Ed still trusted him somehow. Something he didn't deserve. It was funny how someone's true intentions came to surface when faced danger.

Most people would have been buried under that much burden and pressure. Then there was Edward, child prodigy, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Had the kid ever shown weakness? Surely, he must have cried when his mother died. Then? Bury it in the past and face the future. He had actually burnt his house so he couldn't go back. And he was twelve at the time.

"Uhh…Colonel?"

Roy must have thinking for about ten minutes. He didn't realize how silent it had become.

"Yes? You okay there?"

Ed slightly shifted. "Yeah…I was wondering…how is war like?"

Roy blinked and stared at Edward. Sure, Ed was blindfolded, but Roy still tried to look for any signs of emotions. Sadness? Sympathy? He couldn't tell. Maybe he needed to see his eyes. But no, he doubt that would make any difference. Edward had been a professional at hiding his emotions in the first place, burying whatever he felt in the darkest room of his heart.

"You go there and you know you have to kill people. Then all you hear is screaming and shooting. There are people dropping dead around you and blood. And you don't want to believe that you killed someone. But you do. Then there are times when someone from your side gets shot. Sometimes it's someone you know or someone you've never met before. But you just can't stop and help them, you might get shot too. And they just die in front of you while you continue to fight. When you come back and you look at the remaining people, it's hard to believe they're dead. And it gets carved into your memory. Corpses…explosions…screams… You don't want to kill but you don't have a choice. It's kill or be killed.

At Ishval, there were kids. And they were trying to fight too. They were scared. Some of them, I had to kill before they killed me. And some of them died in front of me. And I couldn't do anything to help them. Dr. Marcoh and Major Armstrong were there. But neither of them could take it anymore. So they left. They didn't want to face any more madness. I think it was the best choice. And then there was Kimblee, the Red Lotus Alchemist. He enjoyed killing. He said he loved the screams of agony and he chilled me to my bones. I didn't understand. If a person has a heart then they just…can't. It's a really bad feeling that always stays there. I wish I could just forget."

"Yeah…" was Ed's restless response. It didn't bear any emotion and he didn't give anything away.

"There's something I would like to ask you too, Edward." Roy said.

"And that would be?"

"The transmutation."

He watched as Ed shifted uncomfortably before talking.

"Well, I guess it's only fair…" He took a deep breath.

"I was nine and Al was eight. We came home one day from grocery shopping and our mother was lying on the ground. The doctor said it was the plague and there was no cure. Day by day, we watched as she grew weaker and weaker. We knew what was coming but we didn't want to think about it. Till she…died. Our father wasn't even present at the funeral. Everyone left, yet me and Alphonse waited by her grave. Al said he was tired and cold and hungry. And that he wanted to go home. But I wasn't being a big brother to him. I wasn't thinking of him. And then I told him. "_Let's bring mom back._" "

Ed sighed again.

"We both knew it was forbidden. But I was determined. I told Al that so much people failed and that's why people had decided to ban it. He warned be because he wasn't so sure. But I just made him believe. Or maybe I was just fooling myself." He gave a small chuckle. "What a stupid idea."

"It's understandable considering you were orphans. And your father wasn't even there for you. Also you were little." Roy told him, listening to Ed with sympathy.

"Anyways, we read up to late hours. But soon we figured out knowledge wouldn't be enough. So we found ourselves a teacher. She left us on an island without alchemy for a whole month before she thought us anything. She told us to figure out what "one is all, all is one" is. At the end of the month, she took us and thought us alchemy. She also said that the world flows in one direction and that's why you shouldn't transmute humans. But of course, I just looked at Al and shrugged. As you know, I'm the stubborn type."

"Duh…"

Ed laughed. "Funny though. She attempted human transmutation as well."

Roy's eyes widened. "For?"

"Her baby. Some of her organs were taken. And now she can't have kids."

Roy nodded his head. Then he remembered that Ed couldn't see him.

"I see. She tried to bring back her baby and the thing she wanted the most was taken from her. You were kids and your childhood was taken away from you. How unfair…"

"After our training was done, we ate food at my mechanic's house and we ran to our house. We prepared all the elements, drew the circle, and got into position. Alphonse still seemed unsure but he didn't say anything. It was my idea in the first place anyway. And I had gotten my hopes too high. I had brought my own brother into it without knowing the consequences. I'm so selfish…"

"No, you're not."

Ed sucked in breath. "We activated the circle. There was the blue light of alchemical reaction but then it turned to purple."

Roy frowned. "Purple, huh?"

"Stuff began breaking and an eye appeared in the middle of the circle. Black hands rose from the ground. I could hear Al asking me what was happening. I didn't respond. A rebound? Then Al screamed. The hands had gotten on him, pulling him towards the circle as he was being torn to pieces. He was disappearing right in front of my eyes. I tried to reach for him but there was a pain in my leg. It was being torn as well. I almost caught Alphonse when he was…completely consumed."

Edward paused.

Watching your brother being disintegrate while you watch but cannot do anything. Roy shuddered.

"Is that..?"

"Not yet. I was suddenly in the middle of a white place. Al wasn't there and I wondered what I was doing there. There was a huge door behind me and a white silhouette sitting in front of me. I asked him who he was. "_Oh, I'm so glad you asked! I'm called by many names. I'm the world. I'm universe. I'm God. I am Truth. I am all. I am one. And I am also…you. You have dared to knock on the door. Now, the door is open._"

That sounded so ominous. "Creepy." He muttered.

"The door behind me opened and there was an eye and those black hands. I tried to run but I failed. Those hands got hold of me and began pulling me in. "_Quiet child. This is what you wanted, isn't it? I shall show you…the Truth._" And the door closed. Suddenly my life was flashing before my eyes. It was like all the information in the world was being poured into my head at once. It was too much. I was being torn to pieces. My head felt like it was about to burst. But in an instant, it all became clear. The Truth…and everything. I saw our mother. I called out to her. I almost reached her but then I was in front of the Gate again."

So that was what Truth was. He understood what Ed meant the day they came back from the Homunculi attack.

"That's all it showed you?" Roy asked.

It had gotten colder inside the room and Ed began shivering again.

"Yes and no. "_How was it?_" The Truth asked me. I understood it. My theory of human transmutation wasn't wrong. It could be done, it's possible. It was still missing something. I wanted the Gate to open again. I wanted to see it. I asked him to show it to me again. "_I can't do that. I've already shown you all I can with the toll you've paid._" Toll? What toll was he talking about? I looked and the Truth guy's left leg was being turned into flesh. _"Surely, you knew._" And my leg…was just…gone. "_It's the law of equivalent exchange. Right, young alchemist?" _the Truth said." Ed sighed.

"I was suddenly back in our house again. My leg was bleeding freely. I screamed out for Alphonse. But he wasn't there. His clothes lay next to me. This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't what we wanted. Al was gone. And our mother? I…I…"

Roy noticed the pain in his subordinate's voice. He was probably at the most traumatizing part.

"You don't have to go on if you don't want to."

But Ed did anyway. "No. That would be running away. I can't turn my face from my mistake."

Roy shook his head. Of course, he'd think that way. He braced himself for what was about to come.

"In the middle of the circle lay…I don't know really. It wasn't human. Its skin was burnt. Its head was backwards. Its eyes were staring into me. I could see its bones and its ribs and some of its organs were right there. Its arms and legs were twisted and there was a clump of hair on its head. And a lot of blood on the floor. The mouth of it moved, trying to breathe. Its twisted arm reached towards me as if asking for help. But then it snapped, fell on the ground and even more blood came out. And I just…stared at it."

Roy couldn't say a single word. Sure, he'd seen burnt victims –he was the Flame Alchemist after all- and chopped up corpses, but nothing bad as what Ed had described just know. How could someone see something like that and still stay sane as ever? He didn't know. Ed must have been having nightmares. And probably still did. And the thought of you yourself turning your mother into something like that… It was more than a person could take.

"Now that I took note of the situation, we had failed. Al was gone. I just had to get him back. The Truth couldn't take him too. I had seen a lot of information in the Gate. And I knew how to bind a soul to an armor. It hadn't been long since he was gone. I would still be able to bring him back. There was an armor standing in the room. So I crawled to it and drew a seal with my own blood. He was the only one I had left. I would give anything to have him back. So I clapped and transmuted. I was back at the Gate again. I saw Alphonse and I reached him, not like with our mother. "_That fool, he's back for more._" I heard the Truth say. But I didn't care. I had to get Al back. My right arm was gone and I waited for Al. I needed to make sure that the transmutation was a success. And it was. He came to me and asked me what happened. I told him. He saw that _thing too._ He shouldn't have. I don't really remember the rest. Alphonse took me to Winry's. That first week…it was hell. I was restless. Because Al…he couldn't sleep. He couldn't eat or drink. He couldn't feel anything. And it was all my fault. He was stuck in that piece of armor because of his brother."

Ed's shoulders were shaking now. Was he sobbing?

"All because of his brother's selfishness. How much he could hate me."

"Al could never hate you."

"Save it, Colonel. It was my idea to begin with. Al warned me about it. And worst happened to him when it should have been only me. He didn't have to go through that sort of hellish experience because I had dragged him into it."

Edward finally managed to calm himself down.

"The next week was a blur too. Then you came along. You didn't pity me, or show sympathy and I was actually…glad. At least this way, I could find a way to correct my mistake. Al could be returned to his body. After you left, I had automail surgery and you know the rest."

Ed let out a breath after he finally finished. He paused, waiting for a comment from Roy.

Colonel Roy Mustang was ashamed. He had known that Ed and Al had gone through hell but he hadn't expected Edward to suffer this deeply. Edward would always laugh and yell insults at him yet, was this his true face? Was this him when that mask he always wore when it was removed?

"By the way, what I said stays in this room. In normal circumstances, I would never, ever, not in a million years, only in your dreams would tell you this. But you know…"

"I-I'm sorry Ed." Roy stammered. His voice shook much to his surprise. "I'm really sorry."

"Huh?"

"I…I'm sorry for making you go through this again. I'm sorry for taking advantage of you when you were in pain. I'm sorry for being a bastard and treating you the way I do. Back then, I was just looking for people who qualified for the examination. The way I told you that you could get your bodies back…I was just manipulating you. I was actually surprised to find out you were kids. (1) And I thought, you're a little kid, I can easily take advantage of you. I might even earn a promotion for myself. I took you from where you were and threw you into the world of adults at the age of only twelve."

A laugh came from Edward that mixed with his pained voice.

"I threw away my title as a kid when I put my hands on that transmutation circle. Even if you hadn't come, I'd probably try something else. Plus it was my decision, you know. Just because you used me like that doesn't mean you forced me to join the military."

Roy raised his head. "And…I'm very sorry…for not protecting you…And for not being there for you. I'm very sorry, Edward."

For this moment, Roy hoped that Ed would not take the blame again. He wanted some burden to be lifted from those shoulders. He hoped "_It's not your fault. It's mine, I got you into this mess._" Would not dare spill from his lips.

He looked at Ed who raised his head higher and somewhat straightened himself. He stopped shivering. He opened his mouth to say something. But he stopped and closed it. He smiled and mumbled.

"It's alright."

Roy gave a breath of relief.

"You were there for me more than that bastard who was supposed to be my father."

Roy's mouth dropped.

_Really..?_

The door opened with a creek, instantly dropping the temperature in the room about five degrees Celsius.

"So…Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric? Did you give your last words to the Flame Alchemist Colonel Roy Mustang?

* * *

(1) In the manga (not shown in Brotherhood) while going to the Elric's house, Roy reads the files in his hand. Edward Elric, age 31. Then the driver tells him: He's 11. And he goes like "wha? o-o"

* * *

A/N: And I think now you know why this was the best and longest chapter ever, huh? You had better enjoyed it! I went through a lot to right this chapter! I had a HUGE fight with my mom. My hands are freezing and tired. And I spent like 2 hours typing it up!

I watched Episode 2 of Brotherhood again, and I…I got mad at Roy. You know…he comes in and he lifts up Edward and yells at his face. I started cursing at him. I hope you didn't find all that talking boring.

I was positive that Roy needed a LOOONG GOOD GUILT TRIP. Because HE DESERVED IT!

I need you people to tell me if you liked it or not. You have to tell me what you thought about it.

AND THANKS A LOT FOR READING AND I LOVE YOU! PLEASE REVIEW! SEE YOU NEXT CHAPTER! ;D


	10. Human Transmutation

A/N: Hey! I'm back…early…again. Thanks for all the feedback, I've finally reached over 100 reviews! LA LA LA! THANKS FOR ALL THE FEEDBACK!

I can already imagine the reviews for this chapter. "So overly-dramatic." "It was kinda obvious what was going to happen in the end, seriously." Yeah, but I can't really help myself. It has to happen you know. If you were me, you'd know. Which you're not so you wouldn't. x(

Like I said before, this will not end tragically. Keep that in mind.

I was actually gonna call the chapter something else, but then I figured people might get the wrong idea. Anyways…

Guest: I know right! That moment was in the first anime when Scar nearly killed them both. It pissed me off so much that I decided to write a fanfic about it! It will go up as soon as I finish writing the final draft…

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 10

Human Transmutation

"What are you planning to do now, you sick bastard?"

"You'll see." Ryson said as he untied the blindfold from Ed's eyes and let it drop on the ground. "Literally."

Ed looked around and took note of his surroundings. He looked at his superior and thankfully he wasn't injured at all.

Roy noticed the look in his eyes.

"_Did you mean it?"_

He nodded.

The man took out a chalk from his pocket, grinning and went to his knees.

"Al…chemy?" Roy asked, terrified. A lump formed in his throat.

"They say keep your best trick till the end." Ryson cackled. "I'm going to enjoy this."

"What…What are you doing?" Roy said, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was.

The man began writing on the edge of the circle. Ed shook his head.

"'_Pale white and black with false citrine. Imperfect white and red. The peacock's feathers in bright colors. The rainbow in the sky above. The spotted panther, the green lion, the crow's beak blue as lead. They shall appear before you in perfect white. And after the perfect white follows the gray. And after these shall appear the substance.'_ I'll recognize it anywhere. It's a human transmutation circle."

Their captor smiled psychopathically. "You really are a prodigy."

Roy felt his blood run cold. "Does that mean..?"

James rapidly stood up, after finally finishing up the circle. He dropped the chalk on the floor and brushed himself off. "The first three times I've attempted to kill you, I did want you dead."

He turned towards the photo of his son on the wall. "Then I took a look at the calendar. Today is the anniversary of Scott's death. Then I realized I could revive him."

Ed's eyes widened. "You can't do that! It'll never work!""

The man laughed. "Just because you didn't succeed, doesn't mean I won't."

He left the room, leaving Ed and Roy stare at each other in distress, unable to utter a single word. He entered a few minutes later, carrying a huge bowl mixed with elements that make up a human body.

"Tell me Edward Elric, when attempting human transmutation what did you give in exchange for the soul?"

Ed was dumbstruck. He didn't say anything.

The man stared at him in amusement. "Exactly my point. Now, I have the ingredients."

He sliced his finger, letting a few drops fall into the bowl. "I have the DNA information."

Then he knelt down in front of Ed and looked into his eyes. "And I have something to trade for the soul."

Edward stared back at those eyes and found nothing but insanity.

"You…you can't bring back someone who has already crossed the Gate!"

The man grabbed Ed's chin and leaned in.

"How do you explain your brother then?"

"My brother didn't die. He hadn't passed the Gate. He was still _in it_. I opened the Gate, giving up my arm in exchange and pulled him back! If my transmutation had failed, he would be dead. You can't bring someone back from the dead!"

Roy listened wide-eyed, taking note of every word. Of course, he was right. He had seen the Gate. But it would take more than that to convince a deranged psychopath.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to see for ourselves. If it backfires, it won't backfire on me. And you'll still die."

He stood up and took out a needle from his pocket.

He came up behind Ed's chair who froze.

Without leaving any of them chance to talk, he plunged the needle into Ed's neck.

"Wait-What are you..?"

"NO!"

The man pressed down the plunger and threw the needle across the room.

Ed knew this feeling. He knew it very well.

"What did you do?!" Roy yelled.

The man calmly cut Ed's binds and pushed him on the back. He grinned.

Ed stumbled and fell on the floor in pain. His eyes found Mustang's. He got on his knees and threw kunais that were in his pocket on the wall.

The four of them hit their target but the last one was interrupted by Ryson. The five-pointed star only had four points. "Uh-uh-uh." sang James.

"Bastard…" Ed mumbled just before he fell sideways, his arm flopping uselessly beside him. At least he had tried.

"Can't move, eh? This serum has great uses…"

"Paralysis…" Roy breathed. It was the same thing he used on Ed on their first confrontation.

_Striking someone when they're down… What a coward._

Ryson took a step out of the room. "One minute."

Then he walked next to the Colonel and whispered in his ear.

"Sorry, you'll have to see your son-I mean subordinate die."

"You coward! You won't get away with this! You can't play with human lives!" Roy yelled in anger.

"Oh come on, now. Isn't that what State Alchemists do? My son told me that it was you who brought this kid in. He was just a child and yet you turned him into a human weapon! How can you say that when we're both doing the same? Plus if you hadn't brought him into the military, none of these things would have happened and he wouldn't die, would he?"

Roy froze, unable to respond. All the doubts he'd had before, this man was saying it to his face. It stung as if he had been slapped.

"Shut up, you novice! It was my own choice to join the military. Don't meddle with someone else's affairs!" Ed managed from where he lay.

Roy stared. The kid was lying next to a human transmutation circle with a bunch of injuries. There were gashes on his cheek, a bandage wrapped around his head, a broken rib and a cold. They were in grave danger, yet Ed was somehow not afraid. And even if he did, he didn't show it.

"Anyways, time's up." Their captor played with Ed's kunai in his hand. He went to his knees and lifted Ed's arm from the ground.

"How many times have you faced the Truth, Fullmetal Alchemist? I suppose two. And you still got back alive. I'm glad I found someone like you. There is no way to transmutation will fail."

Edward gave a glance at Roy who seemed to be quite afraid of what was about to happen. His eyes were wide and he was staring at the kunai in Ryson's hand.

The attacker clutched Ed's wrist. He pressed on the artery as if checking his pulse.

"It's rhythmic and nice. Just like any other human's…." he said. He flipped the kunai on his hand and put it onto Ed's wrist.

"No…"

He ran the cold blade down his arm swiftly without cutting any skin.

"NO!"

In one motion, Ryson twisted the blade and cut the main artery in Ed's wrist.

"NO, ED!"

Ed gave a strangled yelp, trying to block out the pain like he always did. His vision suddenly clouded as he blinked to get a better view.

"EDWARD!" Roy yelled.

Ed turned his gaze on his wrist. Blood spilled out under him, red strands of liquid reaching his head, staining his blond locks with crimson.

Ryson laughed maniacally.

"In a few minutes, I'll bring you onto the transmutation circle. And then I'll have my son back."

Edward turned his head slightly. "So much red…" he muttered. "So tired…" His eyelids halfway closed, he looked at Mustang.

"Listen to me! STAY AWAKE!"

Ed blinked. Had he ever seen the Colonel bastard look this scared?

_Damn, if only I could move…_

But he couldn't feel his wrist anymore. His skin had gone deathly pale due to the amount of blood he was losing.

Ryson dragged Ed onto the transmutation circle as blood stained the ground below him. It almost looked like paint that a little kid had spilled carelessly.

"And now…" The man said as he stepped out of the circle.

He put his hands on the transmutation circle.

"NO!"

Nothing happened.

Their captor blinked. Why hadn't it worked?

"Oh, I see…" he mumbled and grabbed the chalk again.

Parts of the circle hadn't been completed. He slowly drew them over as Ed stared weakly.

"Now, it will work."

He was interrupted as the door swept open. The man glanced up to meet one of Riza Hawkeye's guns. The bullet his shoulder and he fell backwards in pain.

Riza ran into the room, untying the Colonel.

"Forget about me, just call an ambulance!"

James Ryson rose again, crawling towards the transmutation circle.

This time, he was stabbed in the back with two long spears.

Lust withdrew her nails and wiped the remaining blood on her dress as the men fell backwards with a thud.

"He is a dead man." she said, standing next to the window.

Lieutenant Hawkeye ran out of the room. Roy went on his knees, barely noticing the Homunculusç

He flipped Ed over. His eyes were closed.

Roy tore a piece of his uniform and quickly tied it around Ed's wrist.

"Ed! Answer me!"

"Mom will be sad…if you leave…Dad…don't go…"

Roy's hands shook. The rest of the team entered the room, dropping their jaws as they took in the sight before them.

"C…Chief?" Havoc stammered.

"Give me the Philosopher's Stone!" Roy yelled at Lust. "He's an important sacrifice, you can't let him die!"

Lust shrugged. "I'm afraid I can't do anything about that, Fire boy. The Stone is bonded with my soul which means only I can use it."

"Damn it!" Roy slammed his hand on the floor. He raised Ed's head to his knee. "Edward, the ambulance will be here soon, hold on a little longer please."

Edward cracked open his eyes slightly as tears fell down his cheek, mixing with the blood on his face.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, loud enough for Roy to hear.

"Ed?"

"I'm sorry…mom. I'm sorry Al… I'm sorry Nina… I'm…I'm sorry Colonel. Don't…forget what I said…"

One last tear dropped from his golden eyes onto the floor.

"I'm very sorry…everyone…"

His eyes closed.

"Fullmetal…" Roy began as he gave a nudge to the fourteen-year old prodigy, his youngest subordinate.

"Ed…ward? A-Answer me…"

In overall, Ed looked like a peaceful sleeping child.

A peaceful sleeping child that shouldn't carry the world's burden on his shoulders.

"Answer me, damn it! It's an order!" Roy yelled, putting a hand over Ed's mouth.

No air.

Alphonse and Hawkeye came back inside.

"B-brother?"

"I-I-It's a-an o-orde-der." Roy broke out in sobs.

Never has he felt so useless in his life.

"Roy…don't tell us he's…" Hughes began. He had been silent and managed to stay calm this whole time, but he too, was beginning to lose his cool.

"NO!" Roy yelled.

A click of tongue. "Such a shame I didn't get here in time…" Lust scowled.

Alphonse knelt beside Roy, his armor shaking as he pushed the bangs from his one and only brother's eyes.

"I…I re-refuse t-to b-believe he's g-gone!" Roy said, putting Ed on the ground. Tears began to spill from his eyes. The rest of the team had also gone teary. They also sank to the floor, trying not to cry.

No one realized how much they cared for that little, loud-mouthed brat till he was gone.

"Boss…"

"Colonel…don't attempt human transmutation." Al said, dry sobs echoing in his armor.

"No…he'd k-kick my a-ass if I did…"

He positioned his hands on Ed's chest and pressed.

He would NOT watch another person die in front of his eyes. Let alone one of his subordinates. A kid of fifteen.

He couldn't take it anymore.

"P-please…" he begged as everyone watched in silence.

"Come on, Ed!"

"Brother…open your eyes…" Al gave a gentle squeeze to his brother's hand.

Soon everyone began urging.

"Don't die on us now!"

"Please chief!"

"Ed!"

Even Lust had a few words.

"If the Fullmetal Blondie dies in here, Father would be seriously pissed. And it's such a bother to find new sacrifices…"

Roy began growing impatient. "Come on…Come on…" he tried again and again as the awful realization began to sink in. Riza shook her head in dismay, biting her lip.

"Roy? Come on…Pull yourself together…" Hughes tugged on his arm.

"NO!"

It started out as a small chuckle. Then a cough. Ed's chest rose. He breathed.

"Brother!"

"Edward…Edward!"

"Ow…My chest hurts…" Ed whispered.

"Thank goodness!"

"Chief!"

"Ed!"

"Pipsqueak!"

Alphonse pressed his brother's head to his chest plate. "Brother…I…I was so scared…I really thought…" he pulled back.

"Al…I'm sorry…I gave you a scare."

The sirens of the ambulance grew louder as Roy scooped up Ed in his arms.

"Thanks Colonel…for not giving up on me."

Roy pressed him to his chest. "Anytime. Remember you _can't_ die before. Because if you did, the paperwork would be the death of me." Roy retorted as he walked through the door, everyone else following close behind. But he knew that Ed could see his red puffy eyes.

"Over here!" Al yelled as the paramedics brought a stretcher. They secured Ed and hoisted him inside the ambulance.

"Who'll ride with him?" a woman asked. Alphonse gave a glance at the ambulance and knew his armor might not fit…or take up too much space.

"I'll go." Hughes said. "And he will too." He pointed at Roy.

"Right." He said without hesitation and entered the ambulance.

Lust gave a glance at the retreating crew as she walked back to where she came from.

"It would be such a pity if a handsome boy like you went to waste."

* * *

A/N: Ahhh… *laughs* I couldn't resist the ending. So how did you find it? Overly-dramatic, eh? Did you cry? I did. Well the first time I wrote it… I think Roy was a bit OOC. I mean he KINDA cried when Hughes died. But Hughes didn't die in front of him. But Ed did/was so yeah…

Tell me what you liked best and didn't like. And predict the next chapter or something. And I hope you enjoyed that, even if it was shorter than the rest.

And sadly….the next chapter will be the last chapter. D':

THANKS FOR READING AND PLEASE REVIEW! LOVE YOU! The next chapter will be up soon!


	11. Milk

A/N: I was actually going to update three days ago but then the most unexpected thing happened. MY INTERNET WENT DOWN! RAWR RAWR RAWR! But at least I got to go to an internet café and upload it. Heh. Nothing can defeat Victorious-Mind! See what I did there? Victorious!

And yes, I have changed the title because I just realized it made no sense. I CAN'T BELIEVE MYSELF! It took me like 2 months to realize it! Replacement of a Father. What the hell does that even mean? Replacement Father makes sense…

-Here it is guys! The last and final chapter. *cries* Thank you so much for all your reviews! I could never have done it without you! And Edward too!

Yeah you heard me correctly. I had a dream about Edward. I hugged him. And ran my fingers through his hair… And he fell asleep. And I fell asleep beside him. IT WAS SOOO GOOD! WHY DID I HAVE TO WAKE UP?! *cries again* I'm such a lucky bastard. xD Get jealous, my female readers!

*You'll have to excuse me for such a long author's note. After all, it's the final chapter. Also I'm high on caffeine.*

I'll see you at the end, kay?

Now here we go for the last time…. (Okay maybe not if I write another fanfiction… ;D)

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 11/Epilogue

Milk

Alphonse walked up and down the hospital corridors when he suddenly bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry!" he said glancing up. "You're…"

The woman doctor smiled and threw a glance at the surgery room.

"I can't believe I didn't figure out that he was the Fullmetal Alchemist! I never thought he'd be so young… And then I saw his name on the patient list. No wonder he keeps getting into trouble!" Dr. Katie said. She observed the crowd filling the benches.

"Everyone for him?"

"Yes…" Al replied sheepishly.

"They seem worried. Where's that black-haired guy? You know, the one who brought him to the clinic?"

"Uh yeah, he's Colonel Mustang. My brother works under him. Ed's heart stopped before we arrived and he brought him back. He should be at the bathroom right now. He went to change his bloody clothes."

"Colonel? I thought he was just some body guard, I mean why else would he-"

A nurse came running out of the room. All heads turned her way and it suddenly got very quiet.

"We are in desperate need of zero RH negative blood! Our stocks have run out. Anyone? I repeat zero RH negative!"

Alphonse lowered his head.

_I have…but I…_

"Mine is zero RH negative." said Roy who came back from the sink. "I'll give."

The nurse took his arm and pulled him inside.

"Thank goodness. Please hurry up sir."

The door closed and a few minutes later, Roy came out holding a cotton ball to his forearm.

"Is he going to be okay?" Al asked fearfully.

"Yes, he will."

Hawkeye walked next to the Colonel as he sat back on the bench.

"Sir, I never knew you were aware of your blood type."

"Me too, Roy, how did you learn it? I don't even know my own!" Hughes asked.

"When I was little, my aunt took me to a doctor when I got sick. They took some of my blood and later the doctor told me my blood type. He said that zero RH negative blood can give blood to anyone but he can only receive from itself. That means I can save anyone's life. You are all in my mercy." Roy smirked.

"That also means you're in Ed's mercy. Because he's the only other person who we know that has zero RH negative blood." Havoc pointed.

"Oh, whatever."

The doctor came out of the room. "Who's here for Edward Elric?"

"We all are. Is he awake?" Al asked, itching to push the doctor out of the way and run inside.

"Yes. We've given him a transfusion thanks to Colonel Mustang and he's been stabilized. The parts of his automail seem undamaged though I'm no expert, one of the screws have shifted. I think that's what caused the bleeding, you should ask his mechanic. I'm not sure if he's totally cleared up from the morphine we've give him but that's all. I saw a scar on his neck. Is he that Fullmetal kid who got attacked?"

Nods.

"Is the attacker caught?"

"Dead."

"Deserved it. I say four days here at the hospital and a week at home. Any questions? No? Okay, you could see him."

Alphonse beat them all to the door and dove in, while the rest followed.

In the bed, half-sitting, half-lying was Ed looking pretty awake.

And bored.

His golden eyes were lit with fire as always. He had a bandage over his left cheek where Ryson had clawed. The bandage from his head was removed. His wrist was heavily bandaged and an I.V. was going in from the top of his hand. His automail arm was still not retrieved. Not that Ed was looking forward to connecting it anyway.

"Brother! How are you feeling?"

"Great! Though, I'd feel better if I didn't have to stay here again. It's just so clean and white and it just reminds me of death…"

"We thought you were really gone…" interrupted Havoc.

Everyone else nodded in sympathy, remembering the terror they had felt.

"What happened to…him?" Ed asked, staring at Roy.

"Lust stabbed him. He died."

"Lust?"

"Yeah, it seems like the news got to the Homunculi as well. They don't want to lose a sacrifice."

"Oh. How are you?"

"I'm totally fine."

Ed looked at the bed sheets. "I did feel like I was going to die. But then there was a little light you know, when you tried to bring me back. It sounds weird when I say it like that. But yeah, if you had given up, it would have disappeared and I-"

Hughes put a hand over Ed's shoulder. "It's over now."

"I heard about the blood. Thanks."

Roy waved his hand in dismissal. "It was nothing."

Then suddenly the door opened with a loud noise.

"EDWAAAAAARD!" yelled Winy. She made her way past everyone, pushing them away and hugged Ed tightly.

"I came as soon as I heard what happened. I was… I was so scared! I thought you might die!"

Hawkeye gave a glance at Alphonse. _How did she learn about this?_

Al shrugged.

She squeezed him even tighter as her tears began falling on Ed's blue hospital shirt. "I was so scared…"

"It's Edward's girlfriend!" alerted Hughes.

"Girl…friend?" Roy asked ridiculously.

"Ooh…Edward!"

"Way to go, chief!"

"Who could have thought..?"

Roy remembered the library visit, where two girls had basically drooled all over Ed and went totally crazy.

But he never thought…

Wait a second… He'd seen that girl before. When he first went to recruit Ed, she was standing next to the door with a worried look on her face.

"G-girlfriend? WHAT?" Ed turned red.

Al chuckled.

"Oops…Umm…Sorry…" Winry let go and shyly took a step back, making herself as little as possible.

"She's my childhood friend and my mechanic." Ed retorted through gritted teeth.

"Sure, sure." came a mutter from Havoc.

"No one's going to buy that story, kid." Roy said, poking Ed's face in amusement.

"HEY! Don't touch me!"

"Where's your automail arm? Don't tell me it's-"

Winry was interrupted as Fuery handed it to her. "I found it back in the room."

She stared at Ed's automail arm. It was in perfect shape except for the dried blood on it.

Her eyes filled with tears again.

"Is your shoulder hurt?" she asked.

Ed blushed and looked away.

"Come on boss, she's worried about you." added Breda.

"SHUT UP!" he turned to Winry. "The doctor said one of the screws in my collarbone moved slightly. It's no big deal."

"It must have hurt a lot, YOU IDIOT!" she yelled. "The doctor also said you have to rest and take it easy for two week at home. _A home._" She said, pronouncing the world slowly in emphasis.

Ed gave a groan. "Nobody has time for that."

Winry ignored his protest. "I know! You can-"

"My house is pretty empty. He can stay at my house." Roy piped in.

Everyone stared, their eyes wide.

Roy looked into Ed's eyes. "At least I'll make sure you don't get yourself even more injured. And I like this long break from all the paperwork. I really don't feel like coming back. So what do you say shorty?" he finished.

Hawkeye scowled at the paperwork comment but the rest of the team turned to Ed.

"If those are my orders then alright, bastard."

The team did a double-take. Ed hadn't yelled at him for calling him short. And neither of them protested. Roy actually _invited_ Ed to come to his house.

"What happened to them when they were stuck there, I wonder…"

"Maybe they're clones…"

"You…you guys didn't get drugged, did you?" Hughes asked, a big smile on his face.

"Maybe." Roy said, grinning only to stop by the look of Riza. "Anyways, I'll be back in four days. You just wait here till I come to pick you up and don't do anything reckless." He turned around and walked out of the room.

For a while, everyone stared in silence as Ed leaned back.

"From this moment on, I'll believe everything I hear." Falman said.

* * *

Roy drove to his house with Ed sitting in the passenger seat and Al in the back.

"So…do you like lasagna?"

"Yes."

"I talked to your doctor, Ed."

"Okay…"

"He said you needed a bit more calcium."

"What's that supposed to mean, Mustang?"

"For your bones."

"What?"

"To grow taller!"

"Are you saying that I'm short?! And WATCH THE ROAD!" Ed turned to Roy who nearly bumped into another car.

"Milk is good for you and you will drink it."

"You can't make me!"

Al sighed in the backseat. Great. The arguing had already begun and they weren't even at his house yet.

"You just see…"

"Is that supposed to be a threat?!"

"Maybe…"

"Don't drop down your guard, brother."

Ed turned back and winked.

"Don't worry. I won't."

* * *

_One week later…_

Roy put a glass in front of Edward after dinner. There was a brownish liquid inside it.

He hadn't tried to make Ed drink milk ever since he'd brought him from the hospital. It had been a whole week. Had Ed forgotten about their talk in the car?

"What's this?"

Apparently he hadn't.

"Does it look like milk to you?" Roy retorted.

"I asked you what it was." Ed scorned.

Alphonse laughed. "You're too skeptical, brother."

Roy sat down next to Ed with another glass for himself. He took a sip.

"It's a smoothie of my own creation."

"It doesn't look like a smoothie." Ed said smelling the liquid.

"Because I made it. Go ahead. Take a sip. It's sweet, you know."

Ed took a sip. And another one. Then he drained the whole cup. "It tastes like chocolate." He mumbled.

"It's chocolate milk, Edward. I win."

Ed cast a murderous glance at Roy which scared him more than Hawkeye did.

Without giving Roy a chance to run away, Ed reached and pushed Roy's glass away which was still half full.

Roy's own chocolate milk spilled all over him.

"YOU LITTLE BRAT, I JUST BOUGHT THIS SHIRT YESTERDAY! How could you?!" Roy yelled.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO LITTLE THAT HE CAN ONLY BE SEEN BY THE MOST POWERFUL MICROSCOPE?! And how dare you feed me that crap, YOU LIAR?!"

"You liked it didn't you?"

"Shut up! I'm currently resisting the urge; don't make me throw up all over you!" Ed ran to the kitchen to drink water.

Al laughed as Roy glanced down at his chocolate milk soaked shirt.

"Sorry, Colonel…"

"No, no. It's okay, we're even."

Roy stood up to change his clothes.

As he made his way towards the bedroom, he realized that Ed had actually known that it was milk. And that he had drunk it _willingly_.

Perhaps he really had liked it.

They did understand each other better.

And Roy decided to make sure that Edward had someone to rely on from now on. And that he would always be there for him whenever he needed help.

Not that he was Ed's replacement father or anything.

**-END-**

* * *

A/N: YEAH. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY AWESOME FANFIC. *cries some more* I tried to make the ending great. And it was great! I tried staying away from yaoi as much as possible and I'm pretty sure I did!

-I'm not sure if smoothies existed in Amestris, but just pretend it did. xD

-I have zero RH negative blood. So yeah, I can save anyone's life. But not much people can save mine…

THANKS SO MUCH FOR STICKING WITH ME ALL THIS TIME! I LOVE YOU! THANK YOU FOR READING AND REVIEWING/FAVORITING/FOLLOWING! *tries not to sound cheesy* ALSO, THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME MY MISTAKES! I WOULDN'T HAVE CONTINUED THIS STORY IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU! HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT! *Sorry for the capital letters, I can't resist. xP*

-Also I'm going to put up a one-shot soon. It's based on the first anime after the Scar incident. You know the part where Roy mocks Ed ending it with "Oh so tough." Yeah. And then Juliet Douglas is going to stop by to tell something to Roy and upon seeing his _mother_, Ed will…*Okay, I stop right there. No more spoilers. Hehe.* Yes, I will suffer Ed. So you should read it. I know you're all sadistic people or you wouldn't really read this fic in the first place. DUHHH.

BYE-BYE! And remember! Pride is always watching you…from the shadows! MWAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHA HA!


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